Mr. Kieran Christie:

The critical issue - it is not in every school but is arising in some schools - is space and the capacity to achieve social distancing. This varies from school to school. It is an issue particularly in schools where the premises are somewhat older and the corridors are narrower or the classrooms smaller. We have had contact from some members in schools where it is quite a substantial issue and we and our teachers on the ground have had to intervene to insist that arrangements change and are improved on. It is early days but that is the more substantial aspect of it.

We had other issues initially but we feel they will be addressed as time goes on. The Deputy will be aware that there was controversy early on about large congregations in schools, not only of students but also for staff meetings. Some staff returned to school and were expected to go into sports halls. One example was rather surprising because the number involved was 84. Two or three more of them were in a premises in Clifden, and it was bizarre that in the context of all the controversy that that attracted, teachers were being invited to go into sports halls in those kinds of numbers. We intervened, the Department, to be fair, was helpful and schools have now been told that the likes of that are unacceptable and that school staff meetings need to be held remotely. We have had teething problems, particularly around the issues of congregated settings and space.