Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There does not seem to be a vision for this. Computer science will be rolled out at leaving certificate level in approximately three years' time, but the short courses at junior certificate level are almost non-existent. Twenty-two schools will run them next year. To my knowledge, they will not be ASTI schools, given the industrial action. For this reason and because the Department will not have rolled out enough courses, a large number of children will not have the opportunity to take them.

The Minister needs to express an expanded vision of what he means in this regard at primary level. In fairness, the introduction of coding gets headlines, but there is little or no coding in schools at the moment according to the Minister's answer. There has been slow progress with computer science at leaving certificate level even though it could be a useful subject. The Minister has started the ball rolling with the NCCA. The more I look at that, though, it is a very drawn-out process in respect of primary level. Much more work remains to be done and more substance and results are required. Otherwise, we will fall behind. The Minister is relying on what people are doing voluntarily. Many parents have the initiative and ability to do this work with their children, but many kids will lose out because they are from different demographics and so on.

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