Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
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180. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the guidance school principals can expect on processes and procedures to deal with anticipated increased need for substitute teachers due to ongoing self-isolation protocols associated with respiratory symptoms or close contacts with Covid-19 cases. [8574/20]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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On the 1^stMay 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 Deputy in his question.  These will now be worked through in detail as part of the development of the roadmap for reopening schools.

Guidance will issue to schools on the logistical and curricular arrangements to be put in place to facilitate the phased re-opening of schools. This guidance will provide a framework for individual schools to develop plans for the re-opening of schools in accordance with their own circumstances and context and the needs of their staff and students.