Minister's update ahead of the reopening of schools next week
Minister for Education Norma Foley has provided a further update regarding the plans to fully re-open schools.
With some schools beginning to re-open next week, the minister acknowledged the enormous work being undertaken in school communities and the commitment of everyone involved in providing a safe environment for the return of children to our schools.
Minister Foley said: “I am heartened by the response of the education sector to the challenge that the Covid-19 pandemic has presented.
"Principals, school management and staff right around the country have been committed to this re-opening process from the start and we will now see some of our schools begin to return next week.
“For parents, I understand that you may feel anxious about your child’s return to school. We are living in a new normal.
"However, we have put in place all the precautions necessary and along with the dedication of the principals and teachers at a local school level, you can be assured that your child will return to a safe and welcoming classroom.”
The minister also highlighted the work of the schools re-opening helpline within the department which is dealing with queries from schools that arise during the reopening process.
This dedicated helpline will remain in place for the next period as schools begin to open and will be on hand to provide assistance with any questions from school principals.
School Transport
Minister Foley noted that guidance has now issued to parents of children using the School Transport Scheme scheme following the most recent advice received from NPHET.
The school transport scheme will proceed as planned with additional measures and hygiene requirements when schools re-open.
At post-primary there will be rolling implementation of the additional measures in line with those required on public transport; that is, using 50 per cent of passenger capacity, which will support physical distancing requirements.
Discussions are already underway with Bus Éireann in respect of these plans, in order to implement measures so that any services that can operate from the start of the school year at 50 per cent capacity will do so.
Over the coming period all other post-primary transport services will be re-organised and additional services will be provided as required to allow for physical distancing.
For those children who are eligible for transport under the terms of the school transport scheme and whose parents decide not to use post-primary transport for the 2020/2021 school year, arising from the most recent health advice, the department will provide a grant to support them with the cost of private transport arrangements.
Grants will be paid at the end of the school year, following receipt of relevant documentation, confirming the number of days of school attended in the 2020/2021 school year.
The grant is based on the distance a family resides from their school of eligibility with a maximum daily allowance payable of €5.10 per day.
The minister will continue to work with the Minister for Health and other government ministers to identify and consider the additional resources required to support the roll-out of these measures.