Free school meals provide support to vulnerable families in the Republic of Ireland. Funding is allocated as part of an anti-poverty strategy. An investigation was carried out to discover if the school meal could be used to provide nutritious scratch-cooked food as well as providing opportunities for increased socialisation and pedagogy. Food…

A philosophy of inclusion, based on the fundamental principles of human rights and equal opportunities for all, has become central to the education of students with special educational needs (SEN) in an inclusive education system, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) (UN, "United…

Research Libraries UK is a consortium of 37 of the UK and Ireland's largest research libraries with the purpose of convening its members around the key issues that affect them, to represent their collective voice, to support them as they face shared challenges, and to be an effective advocate on their behalf. In fulfilment of these roles, RLUK…

This study explores the library equivalent of the "towels on deck chairs" phenomenon of students reserving library seats: the practice of leaving personal belongings unattended at a library study space for long periods of time, rendering the desk unavailable for use by others. It presents highly inefficient use of high value academic…

This article deals with the management of noise in an academic library by outlining an evidence-based approach taken over seven years by the University of Limerick in the Republic of Ireland. The objective of this study was to measure the impact on library users of noise management interventions implemented from 2007 to 2014 through retrospective…

There is a dearth of research on the experience of motherhood within the Irish prison system. This paper considers the specific issue of facilitating contact between incarcerated mothers and their children. It is based on a study which explores the views of practitioners working directly with mothers in prison on how the mother-child relationship…

The objectives of this study were to identify how, when, and where students research; the impact of learning environments on research productivity, and to recommend improved supports to facilitate research. An ethnographic approach that entailed following five students in the final six weeks of their program enabled deep level analysis. The study…

Traditional examination accommodations include extra time, scribes, and/or separate venues for students with disabilities, which have been proven to be successful for the majority of students. For students with non-apparent disabilities such as sensory defensiveness, where sensitivity to a range of sensory information from the environment can…

Bridge21 is an innovative approach to learning for secondary education that was originally conceptualised as part of a social outreach intervention in the authors' third-level institution whereby participants attended workshops at a dedicated learning space on campus focusing on a particular model of technology-mediated group-based learning. This…

These guidelines offer information on space planning and design for school principals, boards of management and designers to make permanent learning facilities available for pupils with special educational needs across the 26 counties of Ireland. The guidelines reflect many of the recent changes in the country's educational system, changes that…

The purpose of this article is to explore children's perceptions and experiences of safety and risk in one highly contested interface area in Belfast. Interface areas are landscapes divided by physical and symbolic boundaries on the basis of religious/ethno-national identification. The research draws on maps and focus group discussions with young…

This planning guide, reflecting recent changes in the educational system in Ireland, offers guidelines for designing primary schools that need to provide additional space for the growing range of teaching and support services. It addresses increased sizes of general purpose rooms, extra floor area provision for classroom storage, administration,…

The Volume 1 Commissioner of Education's introduction discusses school and college enrollment and presents state common-school statistics on enrollment, average daily attendance, teachers and salaries, revenues and expenditures, and expenditures in Southern states by race. Report chapters address education in Great Britain and Ireland,…