Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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484. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if changes will be made to the teacher-pupil ratio or resources allocated to allow schools to recruit additional teachers beyond that ratio on contracts of at least six months duration in view of the Covid-19 crisis and in order to reduce reliance on and pressure on substitute teachers. [21105/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Roadmap for Full Return to School set outs the plan for the safe and sustainable reopening of our schools. 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.

My Department is providing capital and current funding of an additional €377 million to support implementation of the roadmap. The supports are comprehensive across a range of areas and involve funding for measures such as PPE, hand sanitisation, enhanced cleaning and hygiene, physical distancing, management supports and substitution provision. It is also recognised that schools may require some reconfiguration works and this is supported by a once off enhanced minor works grant of €75 million to prepare their buildings and classrooms for reopening including an uplift for schools with SEN pupils.

As part of the package of supports, additional teachers have being provided to support the reopening of primary schools in order to provide enhanced substitution and eliminate the need to mix classes when a teacher is absent. Over 100 teacher supply panels have been established nationwide, providing substitute cover to over 2,000 schools across the country. These will be monitored in terms of the number of teachers and the location of each panel.

Primary schools are currently provided with class teachers on the basis of one teacher for every 26 pupils which is at its historically lowest level. My Department will continue to work with schools on the options available to implement the public health advice in respect of physical distancing in schools. In terms of operating in this school year, schools are required to look at maximising all available physical space particularly to accommodate larger classes. Examples of class layouts have been provided to support schools. The minor works grant has been provided to assist schools if they need to reconfigure classroom or undertake other work.Schools are also required to look at how classes are organised in terms of size and this may require some reorganisation of class groupings.

At Post-Primary level, 1080 additional teachers are being allocated to help reduce class sizes and also for additional Guidance Provision. A teacher allocation equivalent to a pupil teacher ratio reduction of 0.6 has been allocated to schools in the free scheme to help reduce class sizes. This allocation supports 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. The equivalent to a pupil teacher ratio reduction of 0.1 has been provided in respect of Guidance provision to support student wellbeing. It is recognised that, notwithstanding these measures to post primary schools, challenges may remain to allow some post primary schools to fully and safely reopen. A teacher allocation, through an appeal process, is available to support these schools.