Mr. David Duffy:

I thank the Deputy for the question. For small, rural and DEIS schools, in particular, this area presents real difficulties. The first issue is around class size, which is smaller in DEIS schools than in other schools. Across the board, however, we need to be reducing this size further. There is also the issue of a maintenance grant for high-cost subjects, which are often in the STEM area. There is also the question of additional guidance. The Deputy will know as well as I do that students in DEIS schools are particularly dependent on the guidance counsellor to provide advice around possible careers. There is also the issue around access to labs and to the physics-chemistry course. I would also say that DEIS schools are somewhat limited in the number of subjects they might be able to provide.

The issue of curricular concession for new subjects would be very important so that we are not using resources from existing subjects and then trying to bring in new subjects. If we genuinely want all schools, in particular DEIS schools and small rural schools, to be able to teach things like politics and society, computer science, climate action and sustainable development, drama, film and theatre, etc., as well as a whole range of new subjects, we need to ensure those curricular concessions are available.