Mr. David Duffy:

Similar to what my colleagues have said it would be important that we not just focus on one type of school because that would be a gross disservice to schools. If we are just looking at DEIS schools, for example, that is unfair to them as they are already doing more than their fair share. I would be nervous around that area. On the point that schools should do something, as my colleague rightly said earlier, schools are buildings. There is no problem with the availability of the buildings but there is a problem with the availability of the staff. For example, our primary school colleagues' schools are still functioning in June and in post-primary level schools the State exams are being run in June. In August all sets of schools are gearing up for the restart, which increasingly is around about 20 or 23 August, depending on the year. What you have in June and August is staff in the school doing various types of work, much of it on behalf of the State. July is when the receptionist, caretaker or school leader etc. go on holidays, as they are legally entitled to do. There would not be an issue with the availability of buildings but what happens with staff? July provision cannot happen with just a building. I would urge caution around stating that schools should do X. As my colleagues have rightly said, a lot of these issues are national ones that cannot necessarily just be resolved at the local level.