Joe McHugh
Ceist:738. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Education the status of the school building project at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32720/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchools Building Projects
Ceisteanna (738)
Freagraí scríofa
The major building project to which the Deputy refers is included in my Department’s Construction Programme which is being delivered under the National Development Plan.
The project is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design, which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents.
Following the Stage 2(a) Stakeholders meeting the school agreed to the addition of a 2 classroom SEN base to the project brief and a Stage 2(a) Addendum report for this change to the brief has been submitted to the Department for review and approval.
Upon approval of the Stage 2(a) Addendum the Design Team will proceed to lodge applications for the statutory approvals for the project. When these have been secured the Design Team will proceed to prepare the tender documents and finalise the Stage 2(b) report.
Upon completion of the Stage 2(b) report, it will then be submitted to the Department for review.
Upon receipt and review of the completed Stage 2(b) report, the Department will revert to Board of Management with regard to the further progression of the project at that time.
Question No. 739 answered with Question No. 700.
Covid-19 Pandemic
Ceisteanna (740)
Brendan Griffin
Ceist:740. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education her views on correspondence from a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32733/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Where there is a suspected or confirmed case in a school, the local Public Health team will work with the school and undertake a Public Health Risk Assessment (PHRA). Once the PHRA is complete the Department of Public Health will then advise the school of the public health instructions which then should be followed by the school.
My Department’s advice to schools is to follow public health advice at all times. This practice ensures that no principal, or teachers is burdened with the responsibility of making a public health decision in relation to the closure or otherwise of schools.
The Department of Health in recent days has advised my Department that this issue has been afforded careful consideration by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET). In recommending that schools remain open at the present time, even in the current trajectory of the disease, the NPHET has considered the national experience of school reopening to date, including the epidemiological data and information gathered through case and outbreak management.
The experience of public health to date is that transmission rates of Covid-19 in schools are low, much lower than the rate currently in the community. This is a result of the effectiveness of the public health guidelines for schools and the successful implementation and adherence of all in the school community to the guidelines.
School Transport
Ceisteanna (741)
Cathal Crowe
Ceist:741. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education the status of the review into the Bus Éireann school transport system; and if additional measures will be taken to ensure that all children at both primary and secondary level will have a seat on a bus in view of the increased Covid-19 restrictions necessitating spaced out seating. [32754/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of over €219m in 2019. The purpose of the Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
School Transport services for the 2020/2021 school year commenced on the 26th August 2020. All children who are eligible for school transport and who applied and paid by the deadline have been accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
Based on the public health advice published in early July, and the updated advice received from the HPSC on 7 August and from NPHET on the 18 August, the Department has been planning for School Transport Scheme services for the 2020/2021 school year to fully operate, but with additional measures and hygiene requirements in place and with the rolling implementation of measures on post-primary services as required to provide physical distancing, using 50 per cent of passenger capacity. The implementation of 50% capacity has been put in place where possible over the last number of weeks and over the coming weeks, Bus Éireann will be implementing 50% capacity on a rolling basis as soon as it is possible to do so on all remaining routes. Government has agreed to provide the necessary funding to ensure that full implementation of the public health recommendation of running buses for post-primary children is achieved as quickly as possible on the post-primary scheme and on the special educational needs scheme for post-primary children. As the additional capacity is rolled out, where spare capacity is created, further tickets will be allocated to those children eligible for the scheme who have paid late and for other applicants seeking concessionary tickets.
With regard to the review of the School Transport Scheme, in October 2019, my predecessor announced a review of the scheme with a view to ensuring funds are being spent in the most effective way to meet the objectives of the scheme. Terms of reference and the scope of the review have been drafted and a Steering Group has been established.
Given the current evolving situation with Covid-19 and the continued restrictions the work of the Steering Group has been delayed. It is intended to convene the Steering Group shortly and to agree and supplement revised terms of reference to reflect the Programme for Government.
The Review will build on the proposals in the Programme for Government as they relate to school transport, including examining the options to reduce car journeys and assessing how the School Transport Scheme can work in liaison with the Safe Routes to Schools Programme; examining the options for providing a better value and a better service for students, including and examining issues such as the nearest or next-nearest school.
Question No. 742 answered with Question No. 721.
DEIS Scheme
Ceisteanna (743, 754)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Ceist:743. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the way in which the €5 million investment for DEIS schools in Budget 2021 will be allocated. [32783/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Gary Gannon
Ceist:754. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the details of the way in which the additional €5 million for DEIS schools in Budget 2021 will be allocated and drawn from. [32876/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 743 and 754 together.
I am pleased to advise the Deputies that under Budget 2021 I have announced a general reduction in the mainstream staffing schedule to 25:1. While there has been a reduction in mainstream class size in recent years, there has not been a corresponding reduction for those Urban Band 1 DEIS schools who are already allocated a preferential staffing schedule of 20:1 for schools catering for junior classes only and 24:1 for schools catering for senior classes only. Most DEIS Urban Band 1 schools operate vertical schools with a ratio of 22:1.
As an initial step in addressing this, I have focused on a reduction in the Senior DEIS Urban Band 1 primary schools and therefore there will be a one point reduction in their staffing schedule from 24:1 to 23:1.
The total Budget allocation of additional funding of €2million in 2021, with a full year allocation of €5million in 2022 provides for further supports to be allocated as part of the DEIS programme to those schools catering for the highest concentrations of educational disadvantage. My Department continues to support those schools most in need and I intend to engage with the relevant stakeholders as to how best to achieve this.
Covid-19 Tests
Ceisteanna (744)
Kathleen Funchion
Ceist:744. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education her plans to employ health professionals in schools to screen children that could be sent to school with Covid-19 symptoms. [32803/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre and the HSE have published guidance for managing potential cases of COVID-19 in educational settings, which includes the testing strategy within an educational facility ‘Schools Pathway for COVID-19, the Public Health approach’,
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a0bff-reopening-our-primary-and-special-schools/
It is important to note that the response to confirmed cases or outbreaks of COVID-19 in the community or in a school is the responsibility of, and will be led and managed by, Public Health HSE. All decisions as to appropriate actions following a confirmed case or outbreak will be made by their teams in the context of a full Public Health Risk Assessment procedure.
The Public Health response to schools in the coming term will be further enhanced by the HSE through the increased resourcing of existing School Teams in each HSE area.
These multi-disciplinary teams are being led by public health professionals and will be supplemented by inspectors assigned for this work to the HSE from my Department in addition to other staff reassigned from within the health services.
My Department Inspectors will bring their expertise and knowledge of the working of schools to support these teams to communicate with schools. Public Health team members will take calls and phone schools following identification of a positive Covid-19 case, and having been trained in Public Health protocols undertake the schools’ component of the initial risk assessment. They may inform schools of any further actions as required under the direction of Public Health. Assigned inspectors and other team members will also respond to queries from the HSElive Principals line and take schools’ queries that come directly to the Department of Public Health.
My Department will continue to work closely with all of the education partners and the public health system so that schools can continue to be supported in this very challenging time.
Covid-19 Pandemic
Ceisteanna (745)
Brendan Griffin
Ceist:745. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education her views on correspondence (details supplied); if additional supports will be put in place for leaving certificate students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32817/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
My Department is acutely aware of the disruption caused to students as a result of school closures resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic and which led the decision not to run the state examinations this summer.
In the context of the return to schools of students for the 2020/21 academic year my Department published a range of documentation and support material as part of the Roadmap for the Full Return to School, which is available at www.gov.ie/backtoschool. On 21 August, I announced a series of changes that would be made to assessment arrangements for both Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate examinations for 2021. This announcement was accompanied by a published document detailing these changes, Assessment Arrangements for Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate Examinations 2021, and forms part of the Roadmap for the Full Return to School.
These arrangements are designed to take account of the disrupted learning experienced by students during the 2019/20 school year and to factor in for some further possible loss of learning time in the 2020/21 school year as a contingency measure. As the loss of learning through school closures will have affected students’ engagement with their course of study in different ways, the adjustments put in place will play to students’ strengths by leaving intact the familiar overall structure of the examinations, while incorporating additional choice. The adjustments were arrived at through discussions between my Department, the State Examinations Commission (SEC) and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and key stakeholders.
These changes to the national assessment arrangements have been made with due regard for the principles of equity, fairness and integrity, as these principles apply to assessment and examinations and refer to student to-student, subject-to-subject, and year-to-year comparisons over time. The changes provide reassurance to students, their parents/guardians, teachers and schools.
The State Examinations Commission (SEC), which has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations, intends to operate the 2021 state examinations as normally as possible, with appropriate contingency built in, in line with prevailing public health advice. It is not intended that there would be any change to the length of the written examinations. For subjects where the SEC issues project briefs during the 2020/21 school year, the intention is to issue these at least four weeks earlier than normal. For subjects with course work completion dates typically late in the school year, schools will be asked to submit this coursework two weeks earlier than normal as a contingency measure. In this context teachers are being encouraged to plan and undertake these projects as early as possible in the programme of study.
Other documents published by my Department to support the return to school include Guidance for Practical Subjects in Post-Primary Schools and Centres for Education and Returning to school: Guidance on learning and school programmes for post primary school leaders and teachers. These documents provide guidance for teachers and schools that is specific to each practical subject area, so that students can be facilitated to actively engage with their learning. All documentation published is available on www.gov.ie/backtoschool.
The www.gov.ie/backtoschool site also contains information on wellbeing supports for Leaving Certificate students. This includes a series of supports on managing wellbeing, coping with uncertainty and managing stress and anxiety, developed by the National Educational Psychological Service, to support students. The webpage has links to more individualised support for students to access, should these be needed. My Department worked with the Department of Health and the HSE to ensure the most appropriate services and resources are clearly signposted for students.
Promoting the wellbeing of school communities has been a fundamental element of my Department’s overall plan to support a successful return to school as we continue to manage the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. We know that most students have been happy and relieved to get back to school, reconnect and prepare to re-engage with learning. My Department is providing for approximately 120 extra posts for guidance to support student wellbeing, recognising the particular importance for this support in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic challenges.
School Staff
Ceisteanna (746)
Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:746. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education the status of an appeal by a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32846/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location.
Primary schools are currently provided with class teachers on the basis of one teacher for every 26 pupils which is at its historically lowest level. Budget 2021 builds on this progress by implementing a further 1 point reduction for the 2021/22 school year.
There is no change to the staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy in the current school year.
The staffing schedule for the 2021/22 school year, which stands at an average of 1 teacher for every 25 pupils, will be published early next year. It is at this stage that all primary schools will be able to ascertain their teacher allocation for the 2021/22 school year.
Schools Building Projects
Ceisteanna (747)
Michael Ring
Ceist:747. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education the position regarding a project (details supplied) considering that it is two and a half years since approval in principle was sanctioned for a devolved grant under the additional school accommodation scheme; when progress will be expected on same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32848/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that funding was approved under the Additional Accommodation Scheme 2019 to enable the school in question to build a two classroom SEN base, one staff room, one multi-purpose room, one nurses office, toilets and ancillary accommodation.
The support of Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim ETB was sought to assist the school in procuring a consultant. This consultant has now been appointed and the project is currently at preliminary design stage. The appointed consultant will lead the project through the various stages of architectural planning and onwards through the statutory planning process and construction.
DEIS Scheme
Ceisteanna (748)
Cathal Crowe
Ceist:748. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education if plans are in place to reduce class sizes for DEIS band one junior vertical schools to bring them in line with DEIS band one senior schools; the way in which the planned €5 million investment in DEIS schools will be allocated; and the resources including staff that will be allocated to all DEIS band one schools. [32850/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under Budget 2021 I have announced a general reduction in the mainstream staffing schedule to 25:1. While there has been a reduction in mainstream class size in recent years, there has not been a corresponding reduction for those Urban Band 1 DEIS schools who are already allocated a preferential staffing schedule of 20:1 for schools catering for junior classes only and 24:1 for schools catering for senior classes only. Most DEIS Urban Band 1 schools operate vertical schools with a ratio of 22:1.
As an initial step in addressing this, I have focused on a reduction in the Senior DEIS Urban Band 1 primary schools and therefore there will be a one point reduction in their staffing schedule from 24:1 to 23:1.
The total budget allocation of additional funding of €2million in 2021, with a full year allocation of €5million in 2022 provides for further supports to be allocated as part of the DEIS programme to those schools catering for the highest concentrations of educational disadvantage. My Department continues to support those schools most in need and I intend to engage with the relevant stakeholders as to how best to achieve this.
State Examinations
Ceisteanna (749)
Cian O'Callaghan
Ceist:749. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education when the dates for exams will be announced for the June 2021 leaving certificate; the plans in place for the exams to take place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32851/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
School Transport
Ceisteanna (750)
Claire Kerrane
Ceist:750. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education if additional capacity is being put in place for students relying on school transport to ensure they get a seat on the bus in County Roscommon; if additional capacity has been made available for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32854/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of over €219m in 2019.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. Under the terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8kms from and are attending their nearest Post Primary School/Education Centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
All children who are eligible for school transport and who completed the application and payment process on time have been accommodated on school transport services for the 2020/21 school year where such services are in operation. The closing date for payment for the 2020/2021 school year was Tuesday 4th August 2020.
Late applicants and/or families who pay late are not guaranteed a seat and will only be allocated a seat if capacity is available once seats are allocated to those families who applied and paid on time for transport services for the 2020/2021 school year. In addition, payments or submission of medical card details for Post-Primary seats completed or made after 4th August 2020 will be only considered when 50% capacity, required by new Covid19 public health guidelines, is achieved on each route.
As the additional capacity is rolled out, where spare capacity is created, further tickets will be allocated to those children eligible for the scheme who have paid late and for other applicants seeking concessionary tickets.
Bus Éireann have confirmed that there are currently 6 services running to the school referred to by the Deputy. These services are catering for 147 eligible and 28 ineligible pupils. 4 eligible and 7 ineligible concessionary pupils were unsuccessful in obtaining a ticket for the 2020/21 school year.
In the event of not securing a ticket where no capacity exists, or on cancellation, a full refund will be issued.
School Transport
Ceisteanna (751)
Claire Kerrane
Ceist:751. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education the reason children (details supplied) have been unable to get seats on the school bus despite having paid for tickets; her plans to address this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32855/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of over €219m in 2019.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. Under the terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8kms from and are attending their nearest Post Primary School/Education Centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
All children who are eligible for school transport and who completed the application and payment process on time have been accommodated on school transport services for the 2020/21 school year where such services are in operation. The closing date for payment for the 2020/2021 school year was Tuesday 4th August 2020.
Bus Eireann has confirmed, that the family to whom the Deputy refers, is eligible for School Transport. Payment for School Transport for the 2020/2021 school year was received on 8th September 2020 and as such is a late payment.
Late applicants and/or families who pay late are not guaranteed a seat and will only be allocated a seat if capacity is available once seats are allocated to those families who applied and paid on time for transport services for the 2020/2021 school year. In addition, payments or submission of medical card details for Post-Primary seats completed or made after 4th August 2020 will be only considered when 50% capacity, required by new Covid19 public health guidelines, is achieved on each route.
In the event of not securing a ticket where no capacity exists, or on cancellation, a full refund will be issued.
School Transport
Ceisteanna (752)
Claire Kerrane
Ceist:752. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education if her Department issued instructions to Bus Éireann to reopen the payment portal for school transport to accept payment but not to issue bus tickets; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32856/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of my Department. In the 2019/2020 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of over €219m in 2019.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
The closing date for payment for the 2020/2021 school year was Tuesday 4th August 2020. All children who are eligible for school transport and who applied and paid by the deadline have been accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
In agreement with Bus Éireann, the School Transport Scheme Family Portal was temporarily closed for applications and payments on the 20th August 2020. This temporary closure was necessary to complete the work required to issue tickets to families who at that time remained due to be allocated a ticket for school transport services for the 2020/2021 school year.
The School Transport Scheme Family Portal re-opened on the 7th of September. However, parents/guardians making an application/payment at this time for the 2020/2021 school year are reminded that the closing date for payments for the 2020/21 school year was Tuesday 4th August 2020. While it is possible to submit a payment, payments made after 7th September are late. Late applicants and/or families who pay late are not guaranteed a seat and will only be allocated a seat if capacity is available once seats are allocated to those families who applied and paid on time for transport services for the 2020/2021 school year.
In addition, payments for Post-Primary seats completed or made after 4th August 2020 will be only considered when 50% capacity, required by new Covid19 public health guidelines, is achieved on each route. The timeframe for this will vary from route to route and may take a number of weeks to complete. In the event of not securing a ticket where no capacity exists, or on cancellation, a full refund will be issued.
School Enrolments
Ceisteanna (753)
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:753. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education if consideration will be given to the lack of educate together school places to serve families in the Finglas, Dublin 11 area; the steps she will take to address same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32861/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. There are two school planning areas most relevant to the Deputy’s query: Scribblestown-Finglas West and Finglas East-BallymunD11.
Where data indicates that additional provision is required at primary or post primary level, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, depending on the circumstances, be provided through either one, or a combination of, the following:
- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
- Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
- Provision of a new school or schools.
A patronage process is run after it has been decided, based on demographic analysis, that a new school is required. This patronage process is open to all patron bodies and prospective patrons. Parental preferences from parents of children who reside in the school planning areas concerned, together with the extent of diversity currently available in these areas, are key to decisions in relation to the outcome of this process. In order to best assist parents, my Department has developed an Online Patronage Process System (OPPS) and this provides objective information to parents and guardians which allows them to make an informed choice in expressing a preference for their preferred model of patronage and language of instruction i.e. Irish or English of the new school.
Previous demographic exercises indicated a need for two new primary schools to serve the Scribblestown_FinglasWest school planning area and following the appropriate patronage processes Pelletstown ETNS opened under the patronage of Educate Together in 2015 and Scoil Sinéad opened in 2017 under the patronage of Scoil Sinéad.
The requirement for new schools nationwide, including in Scribblestown_FinglasWest and in FinglasEast_BallymunD11 will be kept under on-going review and patronage processes will be run in respect of any new schools that are to be established to meet a demographic need.
In addition, the Schools Reconfiguration for Diversity Process provides an opportunity to increase the number of multi-denominational schools nationwide. The process, which involves the live transfer of existing schools, is designed to provide additional multi-denominational schools in line with the expressed wishes of parents and the local school community. The “Early Movers” provision of the Schools Reconfiguration Process enables school communities which have already decided to seek a transfer of patronage (independent of the survey process envisaged as part of the Schools Reconfiguration process) to engage with their school patron on the matter. A patron may transfer patronage under section 8 of the Education Act 1998. A number of patronage changes have taken place in recent years in this context.
Question No. 754 answered with Question No. 743.
Covid-19 Pandemic
Ceisteanna (755)
Gary Gannon
Ceist:755. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if the board of management which under the provision of the Education Act 1998 are charged with the direct governance of a school has the right to close a school after positive confirmed cases of Covid-19 within the school and concerns of an outbreak; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32880/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Covid 19 testing, and the broader public health response to Covid 19 infections in a school is led by the local HSE Public Health team. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre and the HSE have published guidance for managing potential cases of COVID-19 in educational settings, which includes the testing strategy within schools.
All schools were provided with the HSE document titled: “Schools Pathway for Covid-19, the Public Health approach”, setting out the approach to managing isolated confirmed cases of COVID-19 within the school community, and also the principles that will underpin the management of outbreaks or potential outbreaks and the aligned testing strategy within an educational facility.
It is important to note that the response to confirmed cases or outbreaks of COVID-19 in the community or in a school is the responsibility of, and will be led and managed by, Public Health HSE. All decisions as to appropriate actions following a confirmed case or outbreak will be made by their teams in the context of a full Public Health Risk Assessment procedure. This practice ensures that no principal, or Board of Management is burdened with the responsibility of making a public health decision in relation to the closure or otherwise of schools.
My Department is working closely with the HSE Department of Public Health to ensure that public health measures are acted upon speedily by schools and areas of concerns raised by schools are addressed.