Jim D'Arcy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We never did that. As Senator Hayden said, after the leaving certificate, 76% of students go on to further or third level education. That is very high, even by European standards. I congratulate our education system, teachers and schools for how they look after our young students.

At the same time, like Senator Hayden, I was also interested in a statement by the Ombudsman for Children, Emily Logan, who said children in care are more likely to experience educational difficulties compared with the general population. Speaking on "Morning Ireland" on RTE, she said it was unacceptable there is no information on the educational outcomes of children in care. Ms Logan outlined the need to gather data on these children. Children in care often have multiple placements, meaning they change school often. I agree with Ms Logan that we must have a tracking system for the educational outcomes for children in care. Further to Senator Hayden's remarks, I propose that we invite the Ombudsman for Children to the House to further educate us on her concerns and the need to gather data on these vulnerable children in order that we can help them to achieve their potential.