Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 12 November 2020

Select Committee on Education and Skills

Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised)

Photo of Alan FarrellAlan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister and Minister of State for attending. I am not sure Ministers would be happy giving up part of their budgets under normal circumstances but, under the current circumstances, we probably welcome it.

I have a couple of queries on additional budgets, particularly in respect of the Minister's reference to additional release days for principals and deputy principals, among others. One concern that has been expressed to me on numerous occasions relates to the amount of support available to principals in the current circumstances, particularly with enhanced cleaning arrangements and the amount of time that must be spent in this regard as opposed to the day-to-day running of their schools. While the release days are welcome, of course, there are not enough hours in the day. I wonder about the merit of additional posts of responsibility, perhaps even on a short-term basis. Might the Minister have a comment on that? My point also applies to teaching principals, although they are limited in number. This might also be worthy of comment, however.

I have a query on the capital budget for this year. I appreciate entirely that fair portions of the capital plans being implemented around the country have been affected significantly by Covid but I wonder whether the committee could be made aware of the budgetary allocation versus that which will not be spent in the current year and the projections for the completion of projects. That is probably quite a broad discussion that we could and should have at a meeting of this committee but if the Minister had any comments on it now, they would be helpful.

My final query is on special education. I obviously welcome the new model for the allocation of special needs assistants, SNAs, in particular, and resource hours. Has any formal study been completed in the Department on the number of hours lost to students with additional needs? Are there plans within the Department to address this in some form, be it in the current academic year or as part of a rolling plan for additional supports for the affected students?

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