Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have had a number of meetings, one of which was a recent informal meeting at the exhibition in the RDS on third level options.

I do not accept the assertions in the quotations the Deputy read from the letter to which he referred. Some smaller schools at post-primary level have had difficulties in regard to the matter but the larger schools still have the service of full guidance teachers where their numbers warrant that. The services available from National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, is an indication of the sad reality that there have been traumatic incidents in some schools, and we have had too many of those. I have been told by schools which have had this dreadful experience that the service available from NEPS is extremely good.

Clearly, there is an emerging role for the provision of pastoral care within the post-primary sector as distinct from career guidanceper se. We have to examine the way in which the junior cycle reforms will be implemented, which will address the issues of facilitating children to make sure that they take care of themselves. I am mindful there is a later question on this matter and that the Deputy has tabled a later question to me on this matter. This matter is not only the responsibility of one person or a few people in a school, it must be part and parcel of the culture of the entire school.

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