Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 December 2020
442. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education the reason persons who were employed part-time as Covid-19 supervisors in schools are not paid for mid-term and school holidays, given that their status as employed means they cannot apply for unemployment payments, leaving them without any income for two weeks over Christmas. [40456/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe reopening of schools has been a very important milestone for Irish children and society. The safety and wellbeing of staff, students and the whole school community has been of paramount importance in the Government’s planning for school reopening.
My Department secured very significant funding of over €375 million to ensure schools can implement the Return to Work safely protocol and the recommendations by Public Health authorities in providing a safe environment for the whole school community.
In this context, it was recognised that post-primary schools would require additional supervision cover in the 2020/21 school year to deal with the Covid-19 emergency situation and maximise physical distancing within the school. As part of a range of measures to support schools for a full re-opening at the commencement of the 2020/21 school year, the Department allocated additional funding to post-primary schools to cover these additional supervision needs through an Enhanced Supervision Grant. The grant to individual schools is based on student numbers and ranges from €21,000 to €168,000.
The additional funding provided to the school may be used to pay teachers for additional supervision on a voluntary, casual and non-pensionable basis for the 2020/21 school. Where additional supervision hours remain after the teachers in the school have been offered the hours, school management may source and recruit personnel to provide supervision services.
A supervisor accrues annual leave over the course of their work during term time, in line with their statutory entitlements. The pay of the supervisor includes an element in respect of this annual leave.
Individual employment arrangements for supervisors are a matter for each school as the employer, in line with the applicable employment law.
Entitlements to unemployment payments are a matter for the Department of Social Protection.
