Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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574. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a roadmap will be provided regarding the reopening of all schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15092/20]

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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575. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the system her Department is applying for secondary schools regarding social distancing (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15093/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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On Wednesday 1 July 2020, I welcomed the publication of interim public health advice for the safe re-opening of schools in late August/ September. This interim health advice sets out the key public health requirements that will be required for a safe full reopening of schools and the measures that will be required to achieve this.

Receipt of public health advice will underpin ongoing engagements with education partners and stakeholders in terms of planning and providing guidance for schools in relation to logistical and curricular arrangements and wellbeing. The advice also sets out the requirements for physical distancing measures in a school setting and how this should be implemented. The advice also contains important measures required for infection prevention and control to ensure a full return to school is safe for children and staff.

My Department’s ongoing work with education partners and other key stakeholders on guidance for re-opening schools is aimed at reducing the burden on schools at a local level by providing central guidance and supports to the greatest extent possible.

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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576. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will examine the possibility of using additional space available locally to ensure all children can return to school in September 2020 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15094/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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There has been a lot of engagement between my Department and stakeholders in relation to re-opening in September and this engagement is on-going. My Department’s number one priority, and the wider school sector is to reopen our schools as fully, normally and safely as possible at the start of the new school year.  The Department and stakeholders are collectively focused on working through the detail on what the return to school will look like for all schools. The public health guidance is clear that we must maximise the space within the classroom to facilitate the pupils in the classroom and maximise the space within the existing school building in the first instance. 

The range of school settings presents both opportunities and challenges.  Flexibility and agility in how we respond is key.  My Department is working through with school managers, leaders and staff on how best they can be supported to not only open schools but to ensure they remain open.