Ms Áine Lynch:

I am happy to come in on the issue of primary schools the Deputy referred to when I came in previously around the end of May or beginning of June. Schools have put a huge focus on the mental health and well-being of children. There are difficulties that are almost insurmountable at junior infant level because parents cannot physically go into the classroom. Schools were doing a lot around videos before they went in and there has been much communication with parents. However, many supports have been put into schools around that fourth and fifth class issue. Much direction has been given to schools about the engagement of children back into the school with their peers and working through the experiences they have had over the past six months rather than through the curriculum. The 93% of children who enjoyed their first day is a reflection on how that has been taken up and supported by schools and we hope that will continue. We need to constantly be vigilant for children who are struggling with that. The National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, has put many supports into schools for either groups of children or individual children who are having a particularly hard time reintegrating back into school. Tusla is also looking at that as well. They need to continue and we need to keep a close eye. It is still early days, though, so we may not yet be aware of some of the issues that might come up.