Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Senator. I appreciate the points she has made. I will start with her final point. As regards lockers, I am very familiar with how that works and I absolutely appreciate how students and families are being discommoded in that respect. This was done in the context of Covid to ensure there was a minimisation of students circulating within schools and moving from classrooms to lockers to change books and so on. Obviously, as we move beyond the Covid environment, everything will be considered and reviewed. However, we are very conscious that, this year, we retained all of the infection mitigation, prevention and control measures that were in existence last year, as well as the best practice advice that was given to us in terms of operation within our schools. Notwithstanding what may be happening in wider society, it has been a particularly important element of safety within schools that we have had relatively stringent infection prevention and control measures and guidance of that nature. It has very much worked in our favour. However, I absolutely take the point made by the Senator regarding parents and students and so on. I hope that we are moving in a more positive direction. Everything will be kept under review as we move forward.

As regards the school community charter, I am keen to progress it. This will be coming to committee, including amendments to rename the charter. At the core of this matter is that we seek to operate within a community in schools. For that reason, I am proposing that it will be known as the school community charter. Obviously, there will be opportunities for further discussion, debate and engagement on a variety of issues, including those raised by the Senator, at the committee and elsewhere. I am keen to facilitate the widest debate, discussion and engagement on it and I will welcome that. The richness of the discussion will be enhanced by more engagement from the widest cohort of people. I look forward to that.

As regards well-being and measures of that nature within schools, I referenced earlier the very strong well-being approach being taken within schools. This year, we will have a national roll-out of CPD in terms of implementation of the well-being policy from the Department. The Professional Development Service for Teachers, PDST, will be responsible for that and for supporting schools. I am clear that well-being in school is not the preserve of one individual; it must be shared. I know from experience that it is shared across all the school community and staff. It is not just the job of guidance counsellors; it is very much at the heart and the core of the role of language teachers or science teachers, while in primary schools it is very much at the core of the role of teachers, special needs assistants and school management. Across all primary and secondary schools, everybody is invested in well-being. I acknowledge that. There will be a significant roll-out of training support.

As already stated, specific provision was made in budget 2021 for an additional 120 guidance counsellors and an 17 NEPS psychologists. I am very conscious that, from the point of view of the Department of Health, many of the resources are within the community. I am currently working with the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, to consider a joint approach through which there may be an opportunity for us to look at measures we might be able to work on within the school format, acknowledging the excellent interdepartmental co-operation between the Departments of Education and Health. That has always been the case and we continue to develop and grow that co-ordination. There is an opportunity with the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and her specific portfolio in terms of well-being and mental health.