Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister will be in the House next week taking oral questions, and I am sure that among those questions will be questions on schools reopening. The Business Committee is giving consideration to an additional slot as well to deal specifically with this issue.

What the Minister, Deputy Harris, produced the other day in terms of third level reopening is welcome. It paints a pathway by which colleges, institutes of technology and other further education facilities can reopen in the autumn. We need to appreciate, however, that we will have different solutions for different sectors. Most, not all, childcare facilities and crèches are open. They came back at the end of June. We were concerned that we would have more difficulties than actually arose. That sector has done a really good job in the context of reopening. There are arrangements for childcare that are particular to that sector. The same applies, for example, to restaurants and the hospitality sector where there are particular guidelines for those places. Paediatric healthcare never stopped. Our paediatricians continue to work throughout the pandemic and have done a really fabulous job. Accordingly, I have no doubt that our teachers will rise to the challenge. The paediatricians never stopped doing their job. Childcare workers came back and have done a great job. I have every confidence that teachers will rise to the challenge and make sure that schools are open.

See this speech in context