Written answers
Wednesday, 5 February 2025
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
Weather Events
Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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447. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills how she plans for schools to recover the school days missed in the academic year 2024/2025 following adverse weather conditions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2666/25]
Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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464. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills whether schools that were forced to close due to snowfalls, storms and electrical or water outages in January 2025 will be required to make up for these days before the end of the 2024/2025 academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2843/25]
Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 447 and 464 together.
The decision to close a school in response to a severe weather event is a matter for individual school management authorities around the country, taking into consideration the full guidance and direction available from the principal response agencies. Individual school management authorities are best placed to do this in light of local weather conditions, which can vary significantly in regions. Any decision to close is taken in the interest of child safety, having assessed the local risks and having consulted, as appropriate, with school transport operators.
Guidance is available to schools on responding to severe weather on the Winter Ready website provided by the Office of Emergency Planning as part of the whole of government response to severe weather experienced in recent years via the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/e1d49a-schools-and-severe-weather-be-winter-ready/
The Departments guidance for schools in relation to making up for time lost due to unforeseen closures, which includes unforeseen closures due to weather conditions, is set out in appendix B of Circular 0072/2022 available via the following link: www.gov.ie/en/circular/0a2b0-standardisation-of-the-school-year-in-respect-of-primary-post-primary-schools-for-the-years-202324-202425-and-202526/
As outlined in Circular 0072/2022, significant flexibility is given to schools to make up tuition hours lost due to unforeseen circumstances. It is the responsibility of individual boards of management to ensure that the terms of circular 0072/2022 are met in full.
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