Eoghan Kenny: Schools mandating devices are costing families

I thank all deputies across the house for their contributions. I'm quite surprised by the contributions from some deputies in Sinn Féin who hold the finance ministry in the north of Ireland. There's currently a 700 million euro shortfall in the Department of Education in the north. They come in here and have a go at the Labour Party for something they haven't had 15 years ago when I was in primary school and 11 years old. Quite interesting. Not sure where their priorities lie in providing solutions. The priorities lie in this motion. Instead they come in here and have a go at the Labour Party. Absolutely. No problem at all. No, not at all. No, no. Deputy, you're out of order. Stop interrupting. Allow the Cabinet to speak. Get back to the priorities that are in this. In this. Please. The Minister's, her own speech, she has referenced on a number of occasions encouraging schools. I encourage schools to consider how existing ICT supports and funding can be used to meet students' needs before any expectation is placed on parents. Using the word encourage schools, it's extremely blasé in relation to it doesn't pay for digital devices. Saying to schools that I'm encouraging you to look into not using digital devices, it doesn't pay for those digital devices right now that are being required. She referenced the digital learning plan. In our motion we've called for a ring-fenced maintenance fund to be provided by the Department of Education for schools. Having been a teacher in two schools, I recognise that these tablets and these laptops that are provided to schools do break. And maintenance for those are coming out of capitation grants that cannot be fulfilled by the school because they're using capitation grants elsewhere. That if we had a ring-fenced maintenance fund for these laptops and these tablets, it would provide the necessary funding to be able to maintain them. I would say to the Minister, in her reply, guidance to schools is not enforcement to schools. So providing guidance and providing letters to schools to say my own department believes that it's not necessary to have laptops and tablets, I'm issuing guidance on this. Without those enforcement mechanisms being put in place, schools can still mandate children, which they are doing, to have a personal digital device. I would say in relation to the Minister's comment, it also means that decisions about digital devices should be grounded in pedagogy, informed by engagement with parents and students, mindful of affordability for families. The Minister's own department has created a senior cycle reform, leaving certificate reform, and almost 40% of that leaving certificate project is project work now. That nearly almost includes the use of a digital device consistently. The Minister referenced when speaking about school uniforms, Circular 32 2017, makes it clear that schools should take practical steps to reduce costs for families, including use of generic items where possible, avoiding unnecessary exclusive supply arrangements. It's just not happening. That circular needs to be revisited. Schools need to be issued with further guidance. It is a guidance letter, once again, a guidance circular that was produced by the Minister at the time, in 2017, that gave absolutely no consequences to schools for having branded school uniforms. I, in my opening speech, as well as my colleagues, welcomed the free book scheme. It was an essential piece that was brought in within the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Education that genuinely helped families. But that free book scheme now has completely been undermined, 100%. Unfortunately, I would say unfortunately, it's been undermined by a lot of schools mandating children now to have digital devices. That free book scheme was extremely welcome. I welcomed it as a teacher. I welcomed it now as a politician. Unfortunately, it is now being undermined by many schools across the country mandating children to have digital devices. In relation to school transport, the Minister outlined the cost of school transport. School transport should be free. I don't care if it's €1.32 for families right across the country. It should be free. We should have free school transport in this country for every single child. No financial barrier should be put before a child who needs access to schools, predominantly children who are living in rural areas. I would say in relation to the Engagement, Consultation and Charter Bill, drawn-out consultation right now, which of course I do welcome the fact that consultation with parents is essential, but drawn-out consultation right now will not pay for the significant back-to-school costs that parents are sitting around the kitchen table right now wondering how they will be able to afford in the next one. For more UN videos visit www.un.org