Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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464. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if school canteens will be allowed to open in line with school openings. [18344/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Yesterday, the 27^thJuly, my Department published the report to Government “Reopening Our Schools, The Roadmap for the Full Return to School”.  

This Roadmap set outs how schools will reopen for all students from the end of August and what the operation of our schools will look like and be sustainable in a COVID-19 context.  It has been developed in line with public health advice issued by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), the Roadmap for Society and Business, and follows comprehensive and intensive engagement with education stakeholders including the school management bodies and staff representatives. 

The public health advice received by my Department 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, including:

- Ensure that physical distancing is applied in canteen facilities.

- Stagger canteen use and extend serving times to align with Class Groupings.

- Implement a queue management system with correct marking to avoid queues.

- Make sure students clean their hands before and after entering the canteen area.

Given that each school setting is different in terms of (i) location; (ii) physical layout; (iii) available space within the school; (iv) student numbers; schools themselves are best placed to decide on the appropriate reconfigurations / operational changes necessary to maintain physical distancing in canteens so that they operate safely.