Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

All Members are seriously concerned about the plight of those who are less privileged, those lower income categories to which Deputy Ó Snodaigh has referred. It is good that on occasions such as this, Members have an opportunity to discuss what are the real impacts of the changes on the education system. I commend the Minister of State on his acknowledgement that successive Governments over the years have focused seriously on the area of educational disadvantage, in the realisation of what could be done were this challenge to be tackled. Equally, notwithstanding the pressures the Government is under at present, all Members must ensure the area of educational disadvantage is prioritised and they must consider the impact policies are having. There is no doubt but that the curtailment of the guidance service is having an impact, particularly on those who are less well off. Student fees have an impact, albeit perhaps not as much on those who are really disadvantaged as their eligibility for grants is pretty evident fairly early on. However, the speed at which the grants are being processed by the new agency was a problem last year and I believe everyone will agree to hope it will not be a problem in the current year. Larger classes are a problem, particularly for children who have learning difficulties and who come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Moreover, difficulties are being encountered and problems are arising nationwide with the Youthreach programme and with the vocational training opportunities scheme, VTOS, and I will concentrate on the former. In areas of particularly high levels of youth unemployment, Youthreach provides an opportunity to deal with it in a constructive and positive way. Moreover, all Members have found the outcomes from the Youthreach programme predominately have been successful. The schemes have had a great level of success and many of them have encouraged their students to go on to third level education of some form. The point I am trying to make is notwithstanding the difficulties the Government and the Department of Education Skills are under, one must consider critically the real progress that was made in recent decades. Moreover, a superhuman effort must be made to ensure that, to paraphrase an old saying, we are not cent wise but euro foolish in respect of what is being done in this regard. It must be realised that were Ireland to continue to invest in people who are going into the education system from those sectors of society that are experiencing real difficulties by maintaining them therein and keeping them there into second and third level education - whatever the format of third level education might be - it would serve society's interests and would do a great deal to enhance the personal satisfaction the individual person will have, as well as the way in which he or she will be able to live his or her life into the future. While I acknowledge the Minister of State is committed in respect of this area, it is a subject the Government must consider afresh.

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