Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the witnesses for their contributions. I apologise that I had to leave after the opening statements for a media event. I agree with Deputy Jim O'Callaghan that the response of the Irish people has been remarkable. The response from school communities and the schools involved has also been very significant and, by and large, the effort from the education and training boards, ETBs, and the REALTs has been significant.

My first question is addressed to Ms Ryan and I raised a similar point with the Minister, Deputy Harris, a fortnight ago. The point is in regard to non-Ukrainian refugees. Of course, we need to be doing everything we can to support Ukrainian refugees, but I am concerned. I instanced an example which provoked me to think about this a bit more myself. I was visiting Mount Sion school in Waterford and I happened to ask if any Ukrainians had arrived there.

The principal explained to me that he had been ten minutes late because he was introducing two Afghani children to the school. The challenges and trauma that those children face are not in the slightest bit lesser than those of Ukrainian children. I was asking about access to SUSI in that context. I am concerned about supports needed, such as for English as an additional language.

I will put these questions to everyone. We have heard occasional and, I hope, isolated stories of children settling in a school and then being moved on to another area. There was one example of a child from somewhere in Dublin being moved to Youghal in County Cork. Is that still happening? Is it still the case? Is that widespread? First, it is very disruptive and second, it calls for schools to show leniency when it comes to uniforms, books and such, if there will be volatility in terms of placements and so on.

My sense of the REALT teams, at least in terms of my own area, is that they are doing, by and large, reasonably well and that they are working hard. Obviously, it is a very fluid situation but they are trying to manage as well as they can. I ask everyone what their experience is of the REALT teams. Are they satisfied the teams are working efficiently? What else do they need?

I am especially concerned about a few categories in terms of Ukrainian children and refugee children generally. One of my concerns is for those who have suffered severe trauma and another is for those with special educational needs. Another category of children about which I am concerned is that of children who are midway through, or towards the end of, post-primary school and are landing with more or less no English. They may have time to catch up at an earlier stage in the school system, but if children are in third, fourth, fifth or sixth year and are landing into a school with pretty much no English, they could find themselves very isolated and in a very difficult situation. I know there are efforts to try to align some of the children with the Ukrainian education system, but it is potentially a very challenging scenario. I ask Mr. Henderson to start.