John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome and acknowledge the three leaders of the teachers' organisations and unions. As my colleagues have said, I also acknowledge the deeply conscientious role that teachers in all strata of our school system have shouldered in recent months. It strikes me, as I hear them speaking, that it would help to imbue confidence if there was a level playing field. It can been seen how few of us there are here in the Dáil Chamber so I imagine, if it is expected that teachers will go back to school with some kind of reduced physical distancing, that it would help them to see a Dáil Chamber in September that was kind of half full on the basis of the requirements, as opposed to the maximum of 20 Deputies allowed to be here now. Our witnesses might have seen the Dáil assemble in the National Convention Centre. I made the point the other day that the venue seats 2,000 people but managed to accommodate only 160 Deputies with physical distancing requirements, and we kind of filled the venue. I completely get the challenges, therefore, that teachers are facing.

I have a couple of questions I will run through quickly. Do the witnesses favour temperature testing? If so and if that type of testing was favoured in particular circumstances, who would carry that out or has consideration been given to that issue? One of the contributors mentioned proper budgets for cleaning. What kind of budgets are we talking about in that regard? It was also remarked that principal teachers needed additional supports. Will the witnesses outline what additional supports they might have in mind?

The witnesses also referred to the need for provision to be made for teachers who cannot return to work because of underlying conditions or similar circumstances. What provisions do the witnesses envisage as being required in those circumstances? In light of the comments made some weeks ago by Professor Luke O'Neill about no-nos in the context of the transmission of Covid-19, including shouting and boisterous behaviour, how would the witnesses envisage playgrounds being supervised, particularly at primary school level? Have the witnesses' organisations thought about, or discussed with the Department, the oversight of the required health and cleansing measures? Has that been discussed? Is that a responsibility that falls on the principals or the boards of management, or is it departmental?

Turning to implementing the Return to Work Protocols, did that start before schools shut in the last week? The witnesses mentioned those teachers who may not be able to return to work. Do the witnesses have an idea as to what proportion of teachers might not be able to return to work because of legitimate underlying conditions?

I will ask one more question before inviting the witnesses to respond. I may have time after that for a follow-up question. Based on the figures we have so far, it seems there may be schools in some parts of the country that do not have to do anything because, as Mr. Boyle mentioned, the curve has been flattened to such an extent in those areas. Do the witnesses envisage that some schools will not have to do anything? I have asked a lot of questions and I know the witnesses will not get through them all, but I would be grateful if they could come back on some of them.