Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There is a difficulty here. At our meetings in this Chamber and in the Convention Centre, we have a 2 m rule. That is virtually impossible in schools, especially in old classrooms, even if the distance is reduced to 1 m. In some classrooms, the teacher basically sits on top of the students because there are 30 students per classroom. This cannot be physically expanded unless we start knocking down buildings or using the hallways and so on.

There are huge difficulties and while I understand them, Mr. Ó Foghlú is saying the Department intends to open schools as fully as possible. A number of schools, especially older builds, which are not capable of opening with a full class, based on having 25 or 30 children in the one class in primary school. In secondary school, children move from one classroom to another because they take different specialist subjects, especially in junior certificate and leaving certificate classes. Guidelines need to be as clear as possible and as I am speaking on guidelines, tá súil agam go mbeidh chuile treoirlíne atá á eisiúint amach anseo go huile agus go hiomlán ar fáil as Gaeilge do Ghaelcholáistí agus Gaelscoileanna agus na foirne sna scoileanna sin.

The additional question I hinted at relates to the additional supports required by students who have underlying health issues or who have become distanced from education during this period. They may have been in a routine but have now become distanced. Is there a plan for those additional supports, such as breakfast clubs, after-school homework clubs and so on? Are they part of the plan to capture those who have fallen back a little or who will always require additional support based on their health or other needs? What is the plan in this regards?