Mr. John Boyle:

In the months since we have provided the committee with our submission, issues have been dealt with more efficiently and effectively. However, principals along the Border, where there is a big disconnect between Health and Social Care, HSC, in Northern Ireland and the HSE, need extra support, as do all principals at the weekends.

The 2021 minor works grant that was announced last week will not be sufficient for primary and special schools to have air monitoring systems installed. The €25 extra, which is only €3.50 per day extra to clean a classroom, is totally inadequate and will be spent by Christmas so further funding is required. There is a €50 million budget for digital learning that we have not seen yet but we must make sure that it is allocated fairly bearing in mind that previously primary schools have always been shortchanged for ICT funding.

As many as 80% of our members stated in a recent survey that it was the children with special educational needs whose learning had been impacted most during the school closures. Therefore, it is imperative that additional resources and supports are invested in special education.

The Government must undertake a further review of the requirement for high-risk teachers to attend schools. It must send a strong message to families, who travel abroad over Christmas, that children must restrict their movements on returning in January in line with public health advice.

The Government should have provided a free flu vaccine to all teachers and we are disappointed that it did not do so. We insist that when the Covid-19 vaccine become available that all those who work in our schools are prioritised for the vaccine.

There are 1,000 schools that are outside the supply panel scheme and they struggle to source substitute teachers. We must expand the scheme to include all schools in the new year.

The Government must make an announcement that pay inequality in the teaching profession will end in the next public service pay deal. Such an announcement will be key to attracting and retaining teachers.

Finally, as we have not met the Minister for Education for quite some time we call on her to meet the representatives of all of the unions so that we can share our concerns, before Christmas, in respect of the safety and sustainability of schools from January until Easter. Go raibh céad maith agaibh as an cuireadh labhairt libh.