I thank the Deputies for bringing forward this motion. I was chatting to my dad as I was coming in and told him I would be debating this motion in relation to supports for parents this morning. He reminded me, of course, that it was the Labour Party in government that cut those very supports. Then again, those in that party do have all their best ideas in opposition, as we both remarked, and not for the first time I need not tell you. The Minister indicated that she is very conscious that parents can feel under pressure when some schools seek the use of digital devices for learning. She said that is why she wrote directly to all schools on 25 May and made it very clear that there is no requirement for students to have their own personal devices. She also asked the schools to ensure that no student will be disadvantaged because of his or her circumstances. I do not know why we are having this debate at all if the Minister has written a letter. What precisely happened as a direct result of her writing that letter? I refer to the outworkings of Government policy in the survey Barnardos undertook. One third of parents are getting into debt in order to just pay for the basics. Over 50% of them are very concerned about meeting the back-to-school costs. Some 20% of parents surveyed by Barnardos cut back on food in order to pay their bills. I would say they are very relieved that the Minister wrote a letter. My God - a letter. If her letter does not have any impact - let us be honest; it has not had any impact - the Minister of State might outline what he will do that might go a bit further than writing a letter. We know that devices are essential. We know that parents want their kids to be able to participate. Let us say that a school has ignored the, I am sure, very strongly worded letter from the Minister. Parents want their kids to be able to participate. For many of them, however, that means getting into debt, going without and, in some instances, cutting back on food. In the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, the Government reintroduced exam fees. The very least it could do is not make matters worse for parents. Parents in this State pay the highest rents in Europe. They pay some of the highest energy costs. They pay the highest childcare costs. There is no sign of those costs being reduced. There are plenty of things outlined in the motion - they have been outlined in great detail by Sinn Féin time and again - that the Government could do to support parents in the here and now.

Sentiment score: 0.08