Pauline O'Reilly (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Bacik is welcome; it is good to see her. I wish to raise the issue of the International Protection Appeals Tribunal, IPAT. It is welcome that we have waived visas for those coming from Ukraine. The regularisation of long-term undocumented migrants scheme is also welcome and is part of the programme for Government. However, we must be careful that as we open back up, all the cases that were heard online go back to being heard in person. People should at least be offered the option of in-person hearings. Most courts are doing that, but I have been told that the IPAT is not, and cases are being heard online. One has to wonder if this is an attempt to deal with a backlog by pushing through cases. That is incredibly unfair to applicants who are seeking an appeal through that mechanism. Many of the clients who go before the court come from direct provision centres, where they do not have privacy. Hearings are conducted over Webex, which is quite flaky. I have heard from those in the legal profession that it is a difficulty. I am not entirely clear on why this is happening. Perhaps the Deputy Leader can ask the Minister for Justice why the IPAT is continuing to hear cases online when there is no longer a necessity for it, now that we are out of lockdown.

I would also like to raise the issue of the proposed citizens' assembly on education. There has been a lot of discussion over the past few weeks on citizens' assemblies. There are four included the programme for Government, one of which is a citizen's assembly on education. Now is the time to discuss with the people what they want from their education system in an open way. Many issues relating to our education system came to light through the pandemic. I think the people would welcome the opportunity to discuss them.

I met with representatives of Wicklow Democratic School earlier today. It is a small school that does not follow the curriculum, but instead engages with students to find what it is that they want in their curriculum, and mentors young people. The school would very much like to be recognised. It is recognised and supported to an extent, but it would like to be in the State system. Unfortunately, schools do not get State support unless they follow the Irish curriculum that is long overdue reform. I would like to bring the issue to the attention of other Oireachtas Members. I encourage them to look up democratic schooling. It is something that I feel very passionate about. If we look at all of the different models and what is working across the State, we will find, in pockets around the country, people who are taking a step forward before the Department of Education. That could be a model to work from when we are looking at how we reform this country.