Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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831. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41883/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Following the publication of COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery: The Path Ahead last June and in keeping with the Government’s objective of moving to a return to safe onsite provision in higher and further education over this period, extensive planning was undertaken by the sectoral stakeholders of the Covid-19 Working Group for the English language education (ELE) sector to prepare for the safe resumption of limited, small group, in-person provision to cater for the needs of this sector’s existing cohort of students.

On the basis of those plans and subject to the conditions of the notice published by my Department (www.gov.ie/en/publication/3b8e5-notice-resumption-of-in-person-provision-for-the-english-language-education-sector/), in-person activity could begin to resume from 19th July 2021 where it is safe to do so.

When resuming in-person activity, ELE providers are advised to be particularly be aware of and take account of the following key factors:

- There is no deterioration in the public health situation nor changes to public health advice/measures that would impact on this activity.

- The resumption of this activity is exclusively to cater for the needs of the existing cohort of ELE students currently in the State.

- This step should be taken in consultation with each provider’s staff and students.

- Subject to conditions, providers may opt to remain closed, to provide blended learning or to continue operating wholly online.

- There continues to be no basis for the recruitment of new international students that may seek to travel to the State at this time.

In undertaking this limited resumption of activity, all existing restrictions and public health guidance with appropriate protective measures and limited congregation needs to be followed, supported by the sectoral reopening protocols and adaptation framework, to facilitate and ensure the safe return to some classroom-based activity for this cohort of students. Where there are concerns in relation to compliance with the requirements of the Government’s 'Work Safely' protocol that cannot be resolved through the processes set out in the sectoral protocols, they may be brought to the attention of the Health & Safety Authority (HSA) utilising its complaints procedures - www.hsa.ie/eng/customer_service/make_a_complaint/.

This initial resumption of in-person activity is a key stepping stone on the pathway to recovery for the ELE sector in Ireland. With the recent publication of COVID-19: Reframing the Challenge, Continuing Our Recovery and Reconnecting, which sets out Ireland’s plan for the next and final phase of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and which will see the broader reopening of Irish society, my Department will have further engagements with the ELE sector as it develops plans for its own wider reopening, including for the resumption of the recruitment of new international students in line with public health guidelines, relevant travel restrictions and advices, and in accordance with the Government’s published roadmap.