Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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I want to address two areas of concern. I acknowledge the significant contribution that principals, school management, teachers and the Department have made to get schools open and keep them open. I acknowledge the investment the Government has made both during the summer and more recently, with significant additional resources provided.

I raise one matter in schooling which Covid has highlighted, which is the digital divide and the difficulties students are having with online learning because their computer technology is not up to scratch. Some schools are, unfortunately, not in the position they could be in with regard to computer technology. I wanted to touch on that and on resources for students who are perhaps non-neurotypical with conditions such as developmental co-ordination disorder, dyspraxia or dyslexia, as well as the availability of supports for them at primary and secondary level.

I also raise the issue of anxiety, which was mentioned by a colleague in the course of our hearing. Anxiety places a significant strain on students. I have lost count of the number of parents who have come to me citing anxiety in their children, particularly at second level, and the effects that that may have on them and the learning environment that they are in. The Department needs to co-ordinate to have more psychologists available. The Minister referred to his. The Department might take simple, logical steps to provide an allocation of an educational psychologist to schools with autism spectrum disorder units. Children who are not in ASD units but in mainstream schools could have more ready access to such psychologists and mental health supports. As the Minister is undoubtedly aware and I am sure most Members of the House know, the difficulty of accessing those services is ever-present. Those questions about digital matters and anxiety are for both the Minister and Minister of State.