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Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 March 2021

Thursday, 25 March 2021

Questions (97, 109)

Martin Browne

Question:

97. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to schools that are experiencing difficulties in teaching effectively given the number of staff who are absent due to Covid-19 concerns; if her further attention has been drawn to insufficient numbers of qualified substitute teachers to fill in the gaps; if her attention has been drawn to the way fourth year teaching students who are supporting classes are restricted in the assistance they can provide by the five-day teaching rule; the contingency measures she has devised to deal with these issues; if she will endeavour to deal with the matter in order that principals can staff their classrooms after the Easter break; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16021/21]

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Gary Gannon

Question:

109. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if her attention been drawn to shortages on primary school supply panels; if she will consider supplementing the supply panel with final year teaching students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16227/21]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 97 and 109 together.

My Department has published guidance in respect of the COVID -19 operational supports for Primary and Post Primary schools to fully and safely reopen in a sustainable way while minimising risk associated with COVID-19. This is available at www.gov.ie/backtoschool/.

The operational supports include funding of approx. €84.7 million so that schools can employ replacement teachers, SNAs and administrative staff. There is additional funding of €41.2 million, for substitution in primary schools. This funding provides more certainty on the availability of substitutes for primary schools and cover substitutions that are not covered by existing schemes.

The Supply Panel Scheme for primary schools has being expanded nationwide and over 300 posts have been allocated to provide substitute cover through these panels. The purpose of supply panels is to support schools to manage the sick leave and other absences, including Absence due to Covid-19, by having a supply of teachers to meet substitution needs when required. Schools will also continue to be able to access substitute teachers through the normal process, particularly if they are not connected to a supply panel. The arrangements for schools accessing substitution are set out in Circular 0045/2020.

My Department has also put in place a number of measures to support the supply of teachers, including the Teaching Council contacting approximately 6,000 registered teachers who were not teaching, to encourage their participation to support the return to school; new induction arrangements for teachers who had qualified outside of the state; flexible arrangements for post graduate student teachers on placement in post-primary schools to take up paid substitution hours over and above their placement requirements; lifting the restrictions on the number of days that teachers on career break or job sharing may be employed as substitute teachers. All of these measures have increased the availability of teachers for substitution.

My Department recognises that notwithstanding the range of measures put in place, some schools may experience challenges in accessing a substitute in the short term. My Department is working closely with our partners to work through these challenges when they arise in a particular school, and will continue to keep the current substitution arrangements under review.

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