Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is absolutely right. They have done great work and parents are very happy about that.

I heard the discussion on the south-east technological university and the Munster alliance, and I notice the Minister mentioned the Connacht-Ulster alliance twice. He said that the designated start date for Munster is January 2021, and good for them. As far as the Connacht-Ulster alliance is concerned, and given the current timetable and assuming everything goes to plan, there is some flexibility. Two of the three institutes can go together if they are ready but the third is not. It is important that that flexibility is used because it is in the plan. One way or another, let us assume that the current timetable holds. When does the Minister expect a start date? Will it be six months, 12 months or longer?

My second question has also been raised. It relates to the retention of teachers, especially in small primary schools. I mention one in my constituency, Termon national school, which has 15 pupils and is trying to retain its second teacher. The Minister said there is an appeals system and I accept that. I want the Minister to consider two points. In the context of Covid, the difference between having one teacher for 15 pupils or two teachers for 15 pupils is significant. It will not be necessary to put any extra supports or anything into small schools because they can do the social distancing much better with two teachers. In that context, I ask the Minister to waive that requirement for schools due to lose that extra teacher because otherwise the Department will need to provide extra supports for those schools. That is just one part of it.

The other point is that as the Minister knows, many of these small schools are rural schools and it becomes a cascade. In recent years seven rural schools in County Leitrim have closed. In the context of the Covid pandemic and more people working from home, whose children are more likely to attend national school, I ask the Minister to apply that flexibility for small rural schools.

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