Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

Would the Minister accept that this, again, highlights the complete shambles of his Department, that he cannot inform Dáil Éireann as to the number of schools that were closed and the requisite number of days that were lost? There is not a centralised database within the system from which information can be given about that.

I ask the Minister to be clear about this. Is he saying to school management and to school authorities that it is a matter for them, in the first instance, to decide whether or not courses have been completed and whether or not additional learning needs to be provided and that, effectively, he is giving no direction to schools? Can I take it that such is his position?

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