Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tá mé ag roinnt mo chuid ama leis an Teachta Conway-Walsh. There have been many happy scenes throughout the State of children returning to school and it is a positive thing. We had our own return to school with our nine year old last Thursday and I must give a lot of credit to the school. It has been excellent so far. I acknowledged yesterday, agus d'aithin mé ar maidin sa chruinniú a bhí agam, go bhfuil obair dochreidte déanta ag múinteoirí, príomhoidí agus boird bhainistíochta chun é seo a eagrú agus a réiteach. Aithním freisin go bhfuil an-chuid obair déanta ag an Aire agus ag foireann na Roinne. Is ceart agus cóir é sin a rá. Of course, while it is one thing to get the schools back it is as great a challenge, if not an even greater challenge, to ensure they remain open. I put it to the Minister that we have seen case numbers rise in schools in recent days. It is not our role, and it would be wrong for us to create any undue concern or to whip up any hysteria around that. It is, however, a reminder that our schools are potentially fragile with regard to remaining open unless the right policies are put in place. It is vitally important that reassurance comes from the Department. That reassurance will come from making it very clear that decisive action is being taken and that correct investments and correct policies are being implemented to ensure schools remain open. It must be a national priority to ensure our children can stay in school safely and sustainably.

While the schools have opened, it is very apparent to everyone involved in the running of schools and to families that there are still significant gaps and shortcomings.

During August I contacted every primary and post-primary school in the State and of the more than 200 principals that responded, 48.5% felt that they did not have sufficient staff to meet their school's needs, 76% did not believe they would have sufficient access to substitution and 19% felt that they had been left unprepared by the Department's policies. A full 25% of school principals said that they did not have sufficient classroom space and 22% said they would have to increase the voluntary contributions in response to additional Covid-related costs because they felt the funding they had received would not be adequate. I have had numerous discussions about the fact that while the funding was enough to reopen schools it would not be enough on an ongoing basis. There is a concern that principals will have to pass additional costs on to families because they will not have enough funds to provide adequate sanitiser and other equipment to ensure that schools remain clean, hygienic and safe.

As far as I am concerned the key priorities for ensuring that schools remain open include rapid, priority testing for students and staff; protecting the jobs and incomes of families whose children have to be kept at home; reducing class sizes which are among the highest in Europe; tackling the teacher shortages; and ensuring that no child is left behind. I will now go into a bit more detail on those key priorities. The Minister said publicly yesterday for the first time that there will be priority testing. There has been confusion on this question and departmental briefings to RTÉ have been contradictory. Priority testing is absolutely essential and is a crucial element in ensuring that parents are confident that schools are safe and staff are confident that they will be supported and protected. This needs to happen, with turnaround times of 24 to 48 hours, maximum. This must be delivered and I ask the Minister to give a timescale on that.

We have already had three cases of Covid-19 in schools since the reopening and there could be more today, potentially. In each of those instances there are hundreds of parents who may have to take time off work to stay at home with their children. They may not have any paid leave left and may not have an employer who is understanding. I hope employers will be understanding but that will not be the case in every situation. I accept that this goes beyond the Department of Education and Skills but in the context of the Minister's priority of keeping the schools open, it is essential that she talks to the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, the Taoiseach and the Minister for Social Protection. It will not be possible for schools to remain open if parents have to make a choice between doing the right thing and keeping their child home because they have symptoms or paying the bills that are mounting up in the context of a threat to their jobs. That needs to be tackled. Parents need to be confident that their jobs and income will be protected.

We need to reduce class sizes. We have the largest class sizes in the EU and one of the largest class sizes in the developed world according to the OECD. This is what has made reopening our schools so difficult. We have an underfunded, understaffed and overcrowded education system. Some school buildings have barely been renovated in the last 30 to 40 years and often there are 30 to 40 children per classroom. Social distancing in that context is extremely difficult to achieve. Indeed, many would say it is impossible. The Department must undertake an urgent audit of school buildings and staff to identify the areas of greatest need, with a specific funding stream set up to ensure that additional space, beyond what is provided through the minor works scheme, can be provided on a rolling basis.

We also need to tackle the teacher shortages and there is certainly scope for expanding the hours of teachers who are unemployed. Finally, no child must be left behind. I am very concerned about those who lost out most when the schools were closed, namely, children with special educational needs. Their parents are concerned at being forced to choose between special units and mainstream classes. They are worried that the special education teachers will be pulled from pillar to post and that their children will not get the support they need. These children need additional support, not just thestatus quo. They have lost out significantly and that ground needs to be made up. If ever there was a time for the children with special educational needs to be a priority for the Department, it is now.

Before handing over to my colleague, Deputy Conway-Walsh, I would point out to the Minister that a solution can be found for those students who sat the leaving certificate last year. I urge her to find a solution. I have sent her an email with a number of suggestions. This needs to be done and it can be done.

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