Ms Evelyn O'Connor:

We have some 900 guidance counsellors in the system, providing guidance counselling support to schools. All schools have some allocation of guidance hours. The schools have autonomy as to how they deploy those hours. The schools would be expected to have plans in place and, in regard to each student, to help them put a plan in place with a range of options for their career paths and education planning. That would include options such as apprenticeships and going on to further and higher education. As Mr. Tattan said, we work closely with colleagues in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. We recently established a national policy group to put in place a guidance strategy, a continuum, a whole-of-guidance strategy right across the system, including to the areas of further and higher education and the world of work. We will be looking at all kinds of guidance issues in that respect over the next year or two, depending on how long it takes to get it all together.

Returning to the Chair's question in regard to books and working with libraries, the Minister has provided a grant of €20 million to schools for the purchase of books this year. We have already been in contact with the public libraries. The libraries are showing they are willing and able and will work with the schools and give them advice and support in regard to purchasing books that would be of assistance to the children.