Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 July 2020
415. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an accelerated system for schools to get access to additional classroom space such as prefabs will be provided in order to accommodate social distancing for their return in September 2020. [17112/20]
View answerThere has been a lot of engagement between my Department and stakeholders in relation to reopening in September and this engagement is ongoing. My Department’s number one priority, and the wider school sector is to reopen our schools as fully, normally and safely as possible at the start of the new school year. The Department and stakeholders are collectively focused on working through the detail on what the return to school will look like for all schools. The public health guidance is clear that we must maximise the space within the classroom to facilitate the pupils in the classroom and maximise the space within the existing school building in the first instance.
The range of school settings presents both opportunities and challenges. Flexibility and agility in how we respond is key. My Department is working through with school managers, leaders and staff on how best they can be supported to not only open schools but to ensure they remain open.
