Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have concerns that the Department feels we need to return to normal, when the issue in Irish education is that normal is the problem. At yesterday's meeting of the education committee, we touched on the analysis that, according to the Minister, her Department has carried out on the damage caused by the lack of in-class teaching, particularly for children in acute disadvantage, who need school the most. I emphasise "in-class" because teachers have been teaching and school workers have been working throughout this period.

There does not seem to be the same urgency or vision within the Irish education system. It is as if we just want children to go back and that will be normal. However, we need to acknowledge that not being in class since Christmas for certain cohorts of disadvantaged children in particular will be profoundly damaging. How will we address that?

Regarding special educational needs, I am delighted that the Minister of State is a convert to the concept of equality. This radical policy change from her is most welcome. I suggest to her a return to normal will be the problem. Many parents in my constituency, and I believe across the country, face this bizarre scenario that if they have a child with a particular diagnosis and they want to get a place for that child in a local school or beyond, they are handed a list of schools by the special educational needs organiser and told, "Best of luck." Again, a return to that scenario will not be good enough.

I ask that teachers, SNAs and other school workers would be considered key workers for the purposes of vaccination. I ask the Minister to advocate on their behalf. It is not necessarily possible to encourage a full successful reopening of schools without acknowledging that teachers, SNAs and other school workers are indeed key workers. It is not good enough just to open schools; we must keep them open.

I am glad the Minister has done a number of things on the leaving certificate. First, she has introduced choice. Second, she has listened to the student voice in all this. I congratulate the efforts of the Irish Second-Level Students Union, ISSU, in all this. Third, she waived the fee, as we asked her to do. However, we are all still awaiting the review of the leaving certificate of 2020. What is the status of that review? Just as the idea of going back to normal when normal is the problem, the problem with the leaving certificate is the leaving certificate - not just the pandemic but the leaving certificate. It is not fit for purpose. It is out of date and needs to be radically overhauled. What process do we have in place to recognise that going back to normal with the leaving certificate will be the problem?

We need a radical vision for repairing the damage and a catch-up fund which could include, as has already been articulated, the need to reduce class sizes. I acknowledge that the Minister was true to her word in passing on the pupil-teacher ratio cut to all DEIS schools, for which she deserves credit.

I ask the Minister to respond to the issues of the catch-up fund, the reality of families with children who have special educational needs, young people who are faced with an impossible situation trying to access school places for themselves, the leaving certificate and vaccinations.

See this speech in context