Unions ‘refused to accept public health advice’ on return of special schools

Updated 37 minutes ago

EDUCATION MINISTER NORMA Foley has said unions have “refused to accept the public health council” that returning to special education teaching was safe.

Speaking at the Dáil today, Foley said there has been “intensive engagement” with unions and other stakeholders on the planned reopening and that “agreed guidance” had been reached.

Last week, the government had announced that an agreement had been reached to begin a gradual return to special education starting today.

On Tuesday this week, the government dropped the plans after unions said they opposed the measure due to fears raised by parents and staff.

In a statement tonight, the Fórsa union said it wanted to get special education back “as soon as possible”, but criticized “the publication of comments in the media.”

Speaking yesterday, Foley said the unions would not “accept the advice of public health experts that is offered.” He reiterated those comments today, saying that a guideline had been agreed that would have allowed the special schools to operate at 50% capacity.

“Ireland is now an outlier in the European Union in not having an in-person provision available for students with special educational needs at this time,” the minister said.

We addressed concerns raised regarding safety, including making public health officials available to representatives of education partners, and subsequently facilitating three of the nation’s top public health officials to communicate directly with teachers and SNAs.

“The department has consistently accepted and implemented public health knowledge, advice and expertise. This is the first time that unions have refused to accept such public health advice. We have provided guidance on how special schools can operate at 50% capacity to offer these students a return to learning. “

“We have provided guidance and flexibility in relation to staff members who are at high risk from Covid-19 to ensure their safety,” the minister added.

Foley addressed the schedule of events last week when the government announced the planned return of special schools starting today.

Prior to that announcement, the minister said that she met with stakeholders, including parents, teachers and management, and that there was “a shared goal of a phased reopening.”

The minister said that after that announcement, the department wrote to elementary and special schools to address issues such as safety, risk management and childcare.

Foley said there was more engagement and orientation was “agreed” with unions INTPO and Fórsa.

Foley also said that more than 16,000 people, including teachers and SNAs, attended a webinar last week in which public health physicians said schools are safe places “due to mitigation measures now in place.”

In a statement tonight, Fórsa said he had resumed engagement with department officials this afternoon and took note of the minister’s comments that the government was seeking to return to special education as soon as possible.

The union said it shared this goal:

Fórsa will continue to work with the department of education to resume these vital services in the shortest time possible consistent with the safety of students and staff. To this end, the union said it had resumed engagement with education department officials this afternoon.

In a communication to its members today, Fórsa said: “It is our intention to continue exploring realistic measures to improve security provision and restore confidence, just as we were doing before the government announcement on Tuesday.

He said the union’s assessment was that this new involvement would likely produce a timely and successful outcome if done in a focused and professional manner, rather than through ongoing media commentary.

Review

The minister was criticized by opposition spokespersons, and Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD said that “every time the minister or junior minister has the opportunity to speak on the issue, it only makes things worse.”

“He has the audacity of the minister to stand there and tell us that the unions are not following the public health advice when his own government did not do that in December,” Ó Ríordáin said.

The Labor MP also said the minister was trying to get people to take sides in the debate.

In response, the minister said: “You have stated that I have tried to encourage people to take sides. I do not apologize, I choose the side and will continue to choose the side of children with additional needs. They are my first priority. “

Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon said he was “disappointed” with this answer:

“I was very disappointed when you said yes, you chose to choose a side and you are on the side of the children who are more vulnerable, because in that binary you give the impression that there are those who are not useful, and in particular those who ask to be safe when returning to work ”.