Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I had a briefing on this issue prepared for me by the National Educational Psychological Service, so it is something we are going to be prepared for when schools go back in September and we will look at whatever resources are required. A lot of the suggestions made here tonight, be they in relation to pupil teacher ratios, extra support for guidance counsellors or similar, are budgetary considerations. If there are changes to be made in regard to budgetary decisions for any individual Department, those decisions will have to be made by a Government with the proper governmental powers, including in terms of financial decisions, to make that happen. One of the things on which the Department has been very clear with me is in terms of the financial projections going forward. There is going to be a lot of extra money needed in a variety of areas to ensure we have a sustainable educational model into the future.

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