Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I realise that the Department has had a difficult time trying to work out a programme for schools in September and the transition from the pre-Covid period to now. It is safe to say that schools cannot eliminate the risk of infection but will try to mitigate it in line with whatever guidelines are given to them. Schools are awaiting the issuance of the new template. The one issue about which they are concerned is what monetary allowance is being given to schools to make them Covid ready.

A number of my constituents have been in contact with me in emotional states regarding adults and children with special needs who are in their care. These constituents have not received any guidelines as to when their loved ones will go back to their schools. They have stated that every other organisation has a roadmap whereas they have nothing.

July provision is welcomed by many of my constituents. However, there are several children who have fallen between the cracks. It is difficult. Parents have taken time off work to care for their children and are looking forward to availing of July provision. I know of one case where a child got the go-ahead for July provision from the school but now has no transport to get there.

Will the Minister establish next week a dedicated phone line for different areas to help get July provision to run as smoothly as possible for all concerned? It would help people if there were a dedicated phone line for each area that parents could ring to get the guidelines and the support they need and to help July provision to run smoothly.

Deputy Tóibín referred to the SUSI grant. I was delighted to hear the Minister say that SUSI grants will be based on 2019 income. I have an issue with the SUSI grant. Fine Gael has entered into discussions to form a Government with the Green Party and Fianna Fáil. To avail of a SUSI grant, a student must live 45 km from the school or college where he or she studies. To measure that distance, the Department takes the shortest distance from place to place on Google. That measurement could include roads on which even Deputy Eamon Ryan would not cycle. I have people coming to me who live less than 500 m from the N20. The measurements are forcing those people to take routes to a particular school and they are then disqualified from receiving the SUSI grant because they are short by 400 m. All grants should be calculated using the main routes to college. The Department is using the routes through the city of Limerick to make its measurements so we have congested traffic again to get people to schools. There are link roads around Limerick. Anyone who is going to college should use the main routes. It should not be the case that the Department tells applicants that the guidelines mean they have to go via this road or that road, and that therefore an applicant does not qualify for a grant. That does not work.

There has been much talk about infrastructure. The Government put infrastructure in place and is now using it to stop people qualifying for the SUSI grant. I am asking the Minister to let people use the main routes to get to their colleges and work on that. I know people who qualified for the grant last year but do not qualify this year because the guidelines have changed and one has to use the direct route. I am asking the Minister to intervene. I am looking for a dedicated phone line and for main routes to be used in the measurement for the SUSI grant.

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