Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)

The Minister of State's response is the response we have been getting to the question over the past few months. I want to put a number of things on the record, which I would appreciate the Minister of State conveying to the Ministers for Education and Youth and Social Protection.

We have a funding crisis in education. We cannot take from ICT funding that is desperately needed to keep the lights on and deliver ICT in schools to provide a loan scheme for students. The money is not there.

We have a cost-of-living crisis. Families very much welcome hot school meals and the elimination of school book charges. However, doing that on the one hand while, on the other, asking parents to come up with €800 for a device is driving people into financial hardship.

I take on board that individual schools can make their own decisions on funding but there must be a recognition by the Department that there is a move towards digital learning, whether in terms of augmentative and alternative communication, AAC, devices for people with disabilities, digital learning plans being developed by schools or the additional assessment components in the new senior cycle redevelopment. Schools are moving in a particular direction, which is digital. That move is causing real financial hardship for a number of people. The system, between the Departments of Education and Youth and Social Protection, must recognise that. We need a fund to support parents. That is what Sinn Féin is calling for. We want a recognition of this and dedicated support to ensure people are not forced under water because of this additional cost. I ask the Minister of State to take that point on board and to convey it to the two Ministers.

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