Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Before I begin, I take this opportunity to wish the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and other colleagues a happy new year. I also wish to thank the staff for their work and efforts during this pandemic to keep the Oireachtas operational.

I welcome the opportunity to examine the impact the pandemic is having on the education sector. Like many colleagues, I have been contacted by students, parents and teachers over the past couple of weeks. Reopening schools last September was a great national achievement. I pay tribute to the teachers, SNAs, school principals, caretakers and all other stakeholders who helped reopen our schools and keep our children safe up until Christmas. Their efforts have ensured that schools are safe places, which was acknowledged in the NPHET letter to Government on 5 January, particularly in the context of the fact that 75% of schools had no engagement with public health authorities in the period up to Christmas. Given the recent surge in Covid-19 numbers and the advent of the B117 variant, however, the Government was right in moving to online learning for the month of January in order to limit the number of people moving around the country.

Like all parents, I acknowledge the challenges that online learning presents. Despite the best efforts of teachers, online learning is no substitute for classroom time. Many children do not or cannot engage well in an online environment. It is difficult for pupils and parents alike. Online learning also results in fewer hours for students when compared with the in-class environment. The latest lockdown and the move to online learning has presented many challenges for parents of, in particular, younger children and those who are trying to juggle online learning and working from home. It is not easy for them, not to mention those homes with limited or no access to either ICT equipment or broadband.

This has been an especially worrying time for sixth-year students. These students have been badly impacted.

They lost a number of months in fifth year - three months of class time in 2020 - and will lose yet another month this year. Many of them have been in contact with me and they are all extremely anxious about the situation. Many want the opportunity to sit the traditional leaving certificate examination, but others prefer the option of predicted grades.

I acknowledge the tremendous effort made by the Minister to allow them some classroom time this month. It is unfortunate that it could not proceed. We should do everything possible to support these students. I hope that by June the vaccine roll-out and the public health situation will be such that it will be possible to sit examinations, but the loss of classroom time must be considered. I ask the Minister to examine the possibility of introducing the predicted grades option and to consult with students, parents and teachers in advance of making any early decisions on the matter. Students need to know as soon as possible.

I welcome the news from the Minister, working with the education partners, about reopening the special schools and special primary classes from next Thursday. This will come as a great relief to the many parents who have been in contact with me. I thank the Minister, teachers, SNAs, principals and everyone involved for their efforts. While schools are safe, it should be recognised that staff with underlying conditions and those who care for elderly or vulnerable relatives at home have legitimate concerns about Covid-19. I hope local arrangements can be agreed to facilitate them. The vaccine must be rolled out to at-risk teachers and SNAs as soon as possible, and I ask the Minister to raise this with the Minister for Health.

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