Mr. Alan Mongey:

It will be extremely challenging if we are to follow the rules with regard to 1 m and 2 m. We have done some work on classroom sizes and between 24 and 26 students can be accommodated in a classroom of 47 sq. m such as is found in a normal brand new school building, provided much of the fixed furniture is taken out and very little movement is allowed. Many of our post-primary schools, however, have classes of 30 students. It will, therefore, be challenging. Should we plan in the hope that the 1 m restriction is slightly altered? What can be implemented in schools where social distancing is not possible in every single classroom? What can we do in such classrooms to allow all students to enter the room? We have additional and significant challenges in cases where one or two special SNAs are present in a classroom containing 30 students and a teacher. All of a sudden, there are 31 or 32 people in the class. That is challenging. As I have said, however, we are committed to working with all the partners Mr. Clerkin has mentioned to come up with solutions in that regard. In respect of the timeframe involved, there are only seven and half or eight weeks until the beginning of the new school year. It is not possible to provide additional prefabs for schools, certainly in post-primary schools, in such a short period.

We will certainly utilise every space available within a school that has significantly larger class sizes but that may require additional resources such as additional seating or desks, etc. around the school. There urgently needs to be a significant audit of schools to determine their individual capacities to see how we can meet these requirements. That is why-----