Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

First, in wrapping up, I want to send our best wishes to the Ceann Comhairle and to wish him the very best in his recovery from Covid-19.

I believe in flexibility at moments like this. This is not related but I will make the point. I remember many years ago, when I was the Minister for Education, the idea of introducing a qualified Montessori teacher to primary schools was something that was anathema to all and sundry who are in primary education. There can sometimes be too rigid and bureaucratic an approach to what we should do in the middle of a pandemic like this. That is my point. I am sure the stakeholders will work with the Minister to resolve this. The Minister has gone a long way in terms of providing the resources and it is not a funding resource issue. I think the student teachers offer an opportunity, as Deputies articulated last week, in particular Deputy Cathal Crowe, and there are other issues around the 22 hours, for example, and the mechanisms there. All of that needs working through with the Teaching Council and the unions, and there are all the different permutations to this.

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