Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

A range of queries were raised with regard to the reopening of our schools.

Fundamentally, there is always and will be a significant degree of local autonomy to be deployed by the schools themselves in terms of the configuration of their own schools and the utilisation of the minor works grants in terms of reconfiguring classrooms and so forth.

The capital programme is a separate programme. I discussed it with the Minister last week. What I have said to departmental officials is that we would like to accelerate any provisions for special needs education in terms of units within schools or special schools themselves. In my view, their capital works should get priority and they should be accelerated. Specific measures will be required for specific schools where there are issues in terms of numbers, in particular in urban areas. The health advice is clear about the application of common sense and balance in terms of social distancing. The roadmap is grounded on that.

In terms of Deputy Ó Laoghaire's concern, that is not envisaged at all. The plan is very clear. For primary schools it is about special schools and special education and it is about post-primary schools. It is not envisaged that special needs teachers or assistants would be used to substitute elsewhere. That is not the philosophy behind the roadmap at all. In some instances, if a particularly strong relationship had developed between a child with special needs and a teacher, one would like to see that continue even if the child is at home, so that some level of contact would be maintained.

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