I was really pleased to launch the new primary school curriculum this week, something that has been developed for many years in consultation with schools, teachers, parents and also with young people. There is no miscommunication or confusion. We are very clear as to what is in the curriculum. There is a greater emphasis on physical health but there is an emphasis on making sure we support young people's well-being. We want to make sure that we support young people to be resilient but that we also have classrooms that are warm, welcoming and safe. I am very clear on what is in the curriculum. I wish to be clear on this because there is no confusion other than what the Deputy has just said, which is completely inaccurate. We will talk to young children about puberty. What they have told us is that we are talking to them too late - that it has already happened and there is no point in talking to them in sixth class. That will happen at an earlier stage. We have talked to young people about issues like sexual orientation. We voted for marriage equality ten years ago. We are very clear that we recognise, as we should, same-sex couples and relationships and that is what we will be speaking to young people about.

Sentiment score: 0.25

At the outset, I acknowledge the unbelievable work our principals do in our schools, the teaching they provide and the way in which they manage their schools. Of course I want to see more funding invested in education. Every cent we spend on a young person is not only an investment in their future but also an investment in our future. We have increased the capitation over the last number of budgets but of course I am currently, as we all are, engaging with the Ministers, Deputies Chambers and Donohoe, to ensure I can secure as much money as possible. What I am also doing, and what I think is really important, is taking a look at exactly what the costs are for schools. Whether it is electricity, heating, insurance costs or hidden costs we are not aware of, I want to understand exactly what the costs are on a day-to-day, weekly and monthly basis in our schools and then see how we can support them but also how we can bring those costs down. That will feed into a wider piece of work I am doing. When it comes to the budget I will advocate, as we all are, for as much money as possible.

Sentiment score: 0.20

I welcome an opportunity to provide clarity for people in this regard. Three things are happening at the moment. First, myself and the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, have made very clear that we will change the timelines by which SNAs are allocated. It is not good enough that on the day before they start school, children do not know whether they have an SNA or not. We are making it very clear that timelines will align with teacher allocations. Schools will still have time at the beginning of the year to identify whether there is an additional need and to make that further appeal. However, at any time throughout the year, if a dynamic in a school changes and if a child comes to the school with an additional need, there will always be an opportunity for a school to make that appeal. Second, we want to ensure a redeployment scheme is put in place. It has always been the case that SNAs are redeployed. If the need is not in a school for a particular SNA, they move to other schools. Unfortunately, at the moment they have to resign and are made unemployed. They then have to reapply to school. It is not efficient and it is not fair on SNAs. We are changing that to have a more efficient redeployment scheme.

Sentiment score: 0.13

The third thing is around actual SNA allocation. No changes are being made to the criteria. The way in which they are applied now is the way in which they will be applied in the year ahead. I want to be really clear on that.

Sentiment score: 0.05