As Deputy Brabazon said, St. Francis Junior National School is a fabulous school in a challenging area. The school had the joy and elation of achieving DEIS plus status, which was very important for it, but now it faces the dismay of losing a teacher shortly after. This is happening when the pupil numbers are clearly coming back up for the school next year. There are 66 children from Traveller families in this school, and we know the challenges that this brings for the education system and for those families. It is important that the school is part of the DEIS plus initiative and that we support it. We need to advocate for the school. That is why we are here and that is what we are doing. I ask the Minister of State to ask the Minister not for the decision to be reversed, but for a temporary arrangement to be put in place for one year, as has been done previously, to deal with this situation.

Sentiment score: 0.14

I ask that this be taken to the Minister. We need a fix. It involves a one-year fix around one student. It will all straighten itself out in a year's time. This area, above all others, needs the level of support we are asking for. We have to give it to the school. The Minister of State should relay this to the Minister. I appreciate the Minister of State's feedback.

Sentiment score: 0.10