Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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708. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the service of take out teachers for schools will be continued for pupils with learning difficulties when schools reopen following Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20715/20]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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My Department has now published its roadmap to the Full Reopening of schools ‘COVID-19 Response Plan for the safe and sustainable reopening of Primary and Special Schools.’

This roadmap sets outs how schools will reopen for all students, including students with special educational needs, from the end of August

It provides details of a range of Additional Supports which will be made available to schools to implement their Covid-19 Response Plan and to operate in a sustainable way.

The roadmap also notes that the Department is also making additional provision for special schools and special classes, in recognition of the particular challenges that these schools and classes will face dealing with children with complex medical and care needs.

Full details of the supports for the reopening of schools is available at .

The Roadmap provides details of a range of Additional Supports which will be made available to schools to implement their Covid-19 Response Plan and to operate in a sustainable way.

These supports include:

- An enhanced Minor Works Grant to support full implementation of COVID-19 response plans

- Employing an aide to help with the school re-opening logistics;

- Additional financial supports to provide for additional cleaning, hand hygiene and PPE costs under the COVID-19 response plans.

- Increased management support to primary schools;

- Extending the current pilot supply panel for substitute teachers on a nationwide basis; at primary school level

- 1,080 additional teaching posts at post primary school level including 120 guidance posts;

- Enhanced supervision supports for post primary schools

All of these measures will support the return of children with special educational needs to schools in August.

The guidance also provides details of the measures to be implemented in schools to minimise the risk of introduction of infection through:

- Regular and good hand hygiene;

- Good respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette;

- Enhanced cleaning regimes; and

- Maintaining physical distancing in the classroom and within schools.

DES Circulars 0013 and 0014 2017 in relation to the allocation of special education teacher resources notes that additional teaching support can be provided in a variety of ways. The special education teacher might work in the classroom with the class teacher or withdraw pupils in small groups and/or individually for a period of time (depending upon the nature of pupils needs) for intensive teaching of key skills.

The range of teaching supports should include team-teaching, small group teaching and, where necessary, individualised teaching to address specific learning needs. 

The guidance on school reopening notes that each school setting is different in terms of (i) location; (ii) physical layout (iii) available space within the school; and (iv) student numbers, schools themselves are best placed to decide on the appropriate reconfigurations / operational changes necessary to maintain physical distancing.

The guidance also notes that staff members who move from class bubble to class bubble should be limited as much as possible.

Schools will have discretion to manage and distribute their teaching support resources in order to best meet the learning needs of their pupils/students, in accordance with the guidance provided.