Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I join the Irish National Teachers Organisation, INTO, in its call for age-appropriate mental health support for children in teachers' care. The INTO has been to the fore regarding the mental health of children in school. It has continually expressed concern and sought additional resources for the welfare of the children in teachers' care. I am a great supporter of the INTO, which does amazing work. Teachers do not only teach; they also advocate for a whole range of services for children in education. I want to acknowledge that.

The INTO has concerns about the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, and sees greater potential for it. NEPS is very important. INTO is seeking the expansion and redevelopment, or certainly a reassessment, of early years therapy support for schools to be expanded. Clearly, the issue is with the funding of schools and the need to support the INTO's call to put supports in place for the mental health and emotional care of the children in teachers' care. I join it in that campaign. It is important it is supported and I appeal to Senators on all sides of the House to raise the matter at their parliamentary party meetings and with their ministerial contacts.

I also acknowledge the work of the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, on the further roll-out of the school books scheme. The Government has invested €50 million to provide school books, workbooks and copy books for 558,000 pupils. It is important to acknowledge that. It is a good news story and we must not lose sight of progress in education, particularly for children in early years education.

Those are two issues of concern to the INTO. I would like, if possible, to invite the Minister for Education to the House to have a discussion on these two matters.