Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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243. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a reduction in class sizes is being considered to aid social distancing when schools reopen. [7877/20]

Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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271. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the teacher-pupil ratio can be reduced to help schools deal with the Covid-19 health crisis, get pupils back to school and provide a long-term positive impact on the well-being of students and their educational attainment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7993/20]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 243 and 271 together.

On the 1^sMay 2020, the Taoiseach announced as part of the "Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business" that schools will commence opening on a phased basis at the beginning of the 2020/2021 academic year.

The Department is currently working with the Education Partners and relevant stakeholders in planning for this re-opening which will be based on public health advice. As part of this engagement, each of the education partners were given the opportunity to outline the key issues that they would like to have considered in the context of re-opening schools.

The issues raised by the education partners include those referred to by the Deputies in their questions. These will now be worked through in detail as part of the development of the roadmap for reopening schools.

A core objective will be to ensure that schools and other education settings can re-open and operate in a safe manner that is consistent with public health advice.