Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Tá mé ag roinnt mo chuid ama leis na Teachtaí Browne agus McAuliffe. The issue of social distancing in school, which the Minister has addressed, is obviously a key issue and a key determinant of what happens physically in schools when children go back. The second issue, about which we have not heard a huge amount and about which we need to hear more in general, concerns the long-term implications of school closures. The third issue concerns some aspects of the summer education scheme.

I welcome the publication of information by the Minister and his announcements today. It was in the newspapers before it came into the Dáil and not all of the speech made it onto the record due to the time that we have allowed. I agree with the Department in its stated aim to open schools in accordance with the normal start of the new school year to the fullest extent, while minimising the risk from the public health perspective. I and Fianna Fáil share this objective.

I do not intend to go into the 1 m versus 2 m in schools question, which has been given attention and is important. It is relevant, though, that the public health advice does not allow the Department to achieve its stated aim later on in the summer. The Minister has been clear on what social distancing would mean in schools and we have a lot of time, as he has said, to deal with this issue over the next few weeks.

I wish to raise a very important issue in terms of education. I might give the Minister a brief opportunity to answer, if that is okay. Is that the format today?

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