Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I put on record my thanks to both the Minister and the Minister of State in the Department of Education. The Government has put everything in place and made the changes that were needed. Unfortunately, schools are not coming on board. I do not see why, when one school can do it and employ staff, that another can not. Another issue that arose and on which I had a meeting last week with SIPTU and staff members in the early childhood care and education, ECCE, programme, was where some of the information about the availability of that portal did not seem to filter down to those staff. It seemed to happen in some areas and not in others. That may be something for the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to look at. I am aware that different Departments need to inform all the staff within ECCE that this portal is available. I note that we hope that schools will participate in 2024. We have to go further than this, to be quite honest. Will the Minister of Education and the Minister of State at the Department of Education with special responsibility for special education and inclusion, write to every single special school on behalf of the Government and the parents? We want every single school to participate next year. The supports are being put in place. The financial supports and the availability of the workforce through the portal is there. There is no reason at all for this not to be done in every single school. That has to be the minimum place to start.