Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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415. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if an accelerated system for schools to get access to additional classroom space such as prefabs will be provided in order to accommodate social distancing for their return in September 2020. [17112/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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There has been a lot of engagement between my Department and stakeholders in relation to reopening in September and this engagement is ongoing. 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.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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416. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if clear guidance will be provided that classroom space designated for ASD or other special needs units will not be appropriated by schools out of necessity to accommodate social distancing, thus negating the pedagogical and social benefits of the separate units. [17113/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Public health advice for the reopening of schools and educational facilities underpins the important work of ongoing engagements with education partners and stakeholders in terms of planning and providing guidance for schools to ensure the return to school is safe for children and staff.

The guidance for schools, when fully developed, will include templates that can be used by schools as a guide to reconfigure classrooms in line with the physical distancing requirements published in the interim public health advice. This will include guidance for ASD and other special needs units.

It is envisaged that this guidance will be finalised by the end of July in order to allow time for schools to implement the necessary arrangements locally.