Mr. Seán Ó Foghlú:

As Mr. Loftus said, we are working on options for classroom layouts. We will be working with schools to enable classroom layout to maximise the space within the classroom and support the provision of personal protective equipment and hygiene equipment and so on to ensure the classroom environments are as safe as possible. In our work with the primary stakeholders we are confident that we can manage this together. We are working through it. We are conscious of the nature and difference of the different types of schools within the system, including the difference between small rural schools and big urban schools. We are trying to work on a variety of options to support and assist all of them. Deputy Ó Ríordáin referred to the issue of substitution. That is a particular issue in a small school with two or three teachers. If a teacher is unable to attend at short notice how can we ensure a substitute is in place? These are exactly the types of issues that we need to work through.