Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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803. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason her Department has issued advice to primary school principals instructing them that if a child must isolate on grounds of the Covid-19 emergency period public health advice and is continuing to do their school work at home, that they would no longer be marked present on the school’s roll book, but instead should be marked absent and that a note will be taken of the reason for the child’s absence; if her attention has been drawn to concerns raised by some parents that the recording of such absences on their child’s record may cause them to be automatically flagged with child protection services through no fault of their own; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33408/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Pupils who are medically certified as being at very high risk from COVID-19 and who are engaging with learning through adapted education provision should be marked as present in school attendance records. If pupils disengage from adapted education provision for medical or other reasons they should be marked absent for the period of disengagement.

COVID-19 related absences arising from pupils who have been requested to self-isolate by a medical professional or for pupils who feel unwell with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 must be recorded in accordance with the school’s procedures for the notification and recording of absences. These COVID-19 related absences should be noted by the school as explained absences.

In relation to explained absences and in line with the procedures for referrals from schools to the EWS, schools are advised to use their discretion in determining whether a pupil’s attendance warrants a referral to EWS. A pupil’s absence may be satisfactorily explained by certified illness, bereavement or other valid reasons such as those related to COVID-19.

In the event of a referral to Tusla Education Support Services (TESS), TESS will take into account the requirement for pupils/students who feel unwell with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or who have been informed to self-isolate and not to attend school. The same will apply for pupils/students who may be absent from school due to other genuine illnesses unrelated to COVID-19.

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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804. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if schools that use local leisure centres with a full-size gym for physical education, which allows social distancing, can continue to use the leisure centres, which are closed to the public under level 5 restrictions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33411/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Many schools have a general purpose room/sports hall and practically all schools have outdoor play areas. In addition, many schools, use adjacent local facilities, including community halls, public parks, playing fields and swimming pools. However, local circumstances due to Covid-19 restrictions, may have limited schools access to some of these facilities.

Keeping schools safely open for children and staff is a key priority at all levels of the Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19. Gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools are not permitted to open in levels 4 and 5.