Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for their engagement and questions, some of which were repeated. I want to be absolutely unequivocal regarding the reopening of schools. My first engagement on appointment was meeting with a wide variety of valued stakeholders in education, including parents, teachers, students, managerial bodies, principals and deputy principals. Following those consultations, I was very pleased that there is an absolute collective agenda to reopen the schools fully in the next number of weeks, at the end of August or early September. That is a common and shared objective. There is no ambiguity, question mark or difficulty around that. It is a common agenda to reopen the schools fully and safely at the appropriate time, which is the end of August or start of September, depending on the norm.

Questions have been raised about the return to school budget not being evident in these Estimates. This Revised Estimate relates to what was brought before the House late last year. There is most certainly going to be a further requirement relating to the Covid-19 reopening of schools. I am very conscious of that. Previous speakers highlighted some of the issues that would be addressed in a budget of that nature, such as personal protective equipment, PPE, sanitisation, cleaning regimes, and so on. My Department and officials are currently working through that and we are in discussion with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. All the necessary funding to make the opening of schools possible will be put in place and I assure Deputies that I will be returning to them with a fully itemised budget so they will know exactly where the money was spent and how. For me to come in at this stage, when schools have not yet reopened, would be short-sighted and would not allow me to present Deputies with a full picture, as is my obligation to them. I assure Deputies that the budget is currently being worked through, and engagement and discussion with the stakeholders who have particular issues and challenges to raise with me and my Department is ongoing. All those financial measures are being included, specifically-----

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