Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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414. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when homework clubs can resume given the lifting of restrictions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6078/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The position is that decisions on the use of school facilities lies with the relevant school authority in consultation with the property owner and priority has to be given to the interests of the school, teachers and pupils.

My Department's policy is to encourage the use of school facilities, where possible, for community, training and education related activities such as homework clubs. My Department would encourage schools to facilitate the opening of after-school facilities wherever possible but on the basis that it would not impede the school's capacity to provide for education, as as we come out of the current COVID-19 situation.

To assist schools in considering applications for use of their facilities my Department, in consultation with representatives of schools, has drafted general guidelines on the use of school property outside of school hours which is available on my Department's website at:

www.education.ie/en/Publications/Policy-Reports/guidelines-on-the-use-of-school-buildings-outside-of-school-hours.pdf

Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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415. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding Covid-19 and close contacts in special schools; the rules that apply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6079/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has always been guided by public health advice in relation to appropriate Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures in place in schools.

Public Health advise that the antigen testing programme is available to special schools and special classes. As such, when a Principal of a special school is notified that a child who has been in school during the infectious period has a positive (detected) COVID-19 antigen test result, the school principal is asked to text the other parents in the class to let them know that they can access free antigen tests for their children in the identified class through the HSE. This is a voluntary programme.

Where a positive case occurs in a special educational setting, Public Health will undertake a public health risk assessment. Following the risk assessment, Public Health may advise antigen testing and no restricted movements where pupils remain asymptomatic and do not have a positive COVID-19 antigen OR restricted movements with or without PCR test once the pupil remain asymptomatic and do not have a positive PCR test.