Foley faces off with unions
EDUCATION Minister Norma Foley remains determined that schools will reopen for special needs students as soon as possible.
Last week the Tralee-based Kerry Fianna Fáil TD was forced to abandon plans for a limited opening of schools – from Monday – to cater for 18,000 special-needs pupils and 60,000 Leaving Cert candidates when teacher unions instructed members not to turn up, arguing they had health and safety concerns and were not consulted about the Government’s plans.
Following the u-turn, Minister Foley this week met with three organisations advocating for children with special needs who are seeking “urgent progress to protect the country’s most vulnerable students”.
After the meting on Monday, a spokesperson for Ms Foley said she had listened to the organisations concerns and is fully aware of the damage that was done to children with special needs during the first lock-down.
While she has not publicly criticised the teaching unions, Minister Foley is understood to be extremely disappointed that her attempt to reopen schools for special needs pupils and leaving cert candidates failed in the face of union opposition.
Minister Foley said last week that she wanted to put measures in place immediately to ensure a meaningful continuity of education for these pupils.
Minister Foley has said she deeply regrets that special needs students and Leaving Cert students cannot attend classes in person during the lock-down.
She also defended her position on in-person learning for these students and her Department’s interaction with unions ahead of last week’s ill fated announcement.
“It remains my strong belief that this period of time is crucial for the mental well-being of all children with special needs,” she said.
“I also felt it was the right thing to extend inclass teaching to our Leaving Certificate students who are approaching a crucial time in their exam year,” said Minister Foley.
“My department engaged with the unions and public health officials with a view to maintaining on-site learning for this vulnerable group of students. Unfortunately, I was left with no alternative but to pause the limited reopening on Monday to allow further engagement with all education stakeholders,” she said.
Minister Foley and education stakeholders, including teacher unions, had a “constructive” meeting on Friday, with Leaving Cert students and special needs pupils to be treated as a priority when it comes to reopening schools.
There is to be further engagement between the sides but, as yet, no one is speculating on when progress can be expected.
At Friday’s meeting with teaching union leaders Minister Foley questioned what the school closure could mean for the Leaving Cert.
Sources involved in the discussions said that Ms Foley’s main message was that if exam candidates don’t get back to school soon, there will need to be a talks about a ‘Plan B’ for the Leaving Cert.
A spokesman for Ms Foley has confirmed that reopening schools remains a priority for special needs pupils and in the meantime she is examining options for a suite of support measures that can be put in place until in person teaching can resume.
Asked how long school closures may last, the spokesman said this was “impossible to say” at this point.
The spokesman said Minister Foley’s preference was to get schools open as soon as possible, but this will require the agreement of staff unions and school communities.