Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

When we reached out to schools in order to increase the numbers partaking, we asked them what the barriers to doing the summer programme were. The issues that came up were the rate of pay for teachers and SNAs. We have increased the rate of pay for teachers and SNAs. We have opened up a portal because some of the schools were saying they could not get the teachers or the SNAs. A portal has been opened up for teachers and SNAs to register their interest to work in any school across the country. It is even open to student teachers or to students from other disciplines, for example, therapy, social care, nursing or early years students or care workers, to encourage more schools across the country to partake in this. We have also shortened the school day and provided additional grant funding. A dedicated national co-ordinator for the schools has been appointed and there is faster payment of staff. All of these issues were highlighted by the schools across the country. I want to see even more schools partaking every year, particularly for those with the most complex needs.

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