Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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473. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to recruit additional teachers ahead of the reopening of schools in autumn 2020; when they will be recruited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18435/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Yesterday, the 27th July, 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 fully 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 Supply Panel Scheme will be expanded nationwide and I am allocating 200 additional posts fixed term to provide substitute cover through these panels. The purpose of supply panels is to support schools to manage the sick leave and other absences by having a supply of teachers to meet substitution needs when required. Schools will also be able to access substitute teachers through the normal process, particularly if they are not connected to a supply panel.

 My Department is making over 1,000 additional teaching posts available to post primary schools in the free scheme. Posts equivalent to 0.6 PTR reduction will be allocated based as normal on school enrolments and will be clearly identifiable in the school’s staffing schedule. This allocation will support the important work of teaching and learning and provide additional teachers needed to support teacher substitution, management of physical distancing requirements by reallocating class timetables in schools to smaller groups class sizes where necessary.