Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will start with a few questions for the Minister, Deputy Foley. I heard the word "equal" six or seven times from the Minister's notes but it is not a word we should be throwing around when we know it is not true. I say this with much emotion because there are so many schools in Ireland that do not have equal funding and which are struggling. These are very disadvantaged schools, one of which is Our Lady of the Wayside in Bluebell, Dublin 12.

I have a question about the disadvantage experienced by children who have not had equal access to the education system during the pandemic because they have no technology, such as phones. I know of one case involving a woman who must go to a school every Monday at 1 p.m. to get her children's homework. There is another family sharing one iPhone. I have been very vocal about the digital divide for many weeks and it is not something we need to look at during the pandemic. As we will need to look at it in future, what has the Department done to bridge the digital divide? I would appreciate an answer on this because it is everything but equal access when children do not have the technology to access school material. How can the Minister guarantee the calculated grades will not be prejudiced towards marginalised communities or bias against people from ethnic minority groups? I would appreciate a reply on that.

Deputy Ó Ríordáin spoke about research and unless I am wrong, the Minister said that remote learning is easier this time around. I would like to know more about that research. I support Deputy Ó Ríordáin's comments on catch-up funds, which may support young people.