Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do and always will engage with our teachers because they are the only way this will happen and they provide our young people with the fantastic education they get. We have spent over €6 billion on capital projects since the beginning of 2020. I have said clearly to the unions that we will invest more, whether in science labs or in making sure more training is provided. I have asked my officials to engage further to see if there is more we can do to ensure we are prepared for the specific subjects for September and that teachers are prepared. I have made it clear two papers will be provided at the beginning of April; it is normally one. We are also making sure there is access to further training at the earliest stage possible. This will not happen overnight. I fully accept that, were it to move at a quicker pace, there would be a significant challenge. There is momentum there. A lot of change has happened. At the end of this, we want young people to be equipped to respond to the world we live in. The exams are a key part of making sure that can happen. This will only work by working with teachers and I am committed to doing that.

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