Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I will come back in. I agree with and accept what Ms Howard said. The number of classes, and I can see this in my constituency, has significantly expanded at secondary and primary level. There is more to go but it has expanded significantly. I have seen that since 2019. That is just a fact. I know the children who are in those classes.

Ms Howard is quite right about planning and preparation, which we will take up with the Department, but I want to hear an overwhelming rush from teachers to make sure that this happens this year. What will teachers do differently this year compared with last year to make sure, from their perspective, that no stone is left unturned? It should not be down to somebody else. Everyone involved - teachers and the Department - should have been so proactive and got ahead of this in order that, despite any sort of clashes or people fighting with each other, the only outcome that will be acceptable will be proper July provision for children and their families. Indeed, this will have a knock-on effect for teachers in not having to deal with regression for the first four or six weeks of the next school year. It is absolutely in everybody's interests, and that is why we are so strong on the matter.