Change to summer holiday period would require widespread consultation, says McEntee
Helen McEntee
said the issue may come up as part of a new convention on education announced by the Government on Thursday.
The Fine Gael TD said schools are 'very active' throughout the year and summer holidays 'gives everybody a chance to take a break'.
Ms McEntee also pointed to 1,800 primary schools that are participating in the
summer programme
, which caters for pupils with complex special educational needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage.
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'There's a lot of things happening over the summer, whether it's school camps, different types of sports or activities ... but I do acknowledge the challenges for parents when it comes to
childcare
... that in many households you have both parents now working full-time,' she told reporters in Clondalkin, west Dublin.
'So the summer does pose challenges, but I think any changes to summer breaks, any changes to holidays, that's something that would always have to be considered in engagement and consultation with schools, with teachers, with parents, with families overall.'
The Minister said she would like to see the reduction in the student contribution fee for higher education maintained.
Third-level fees have been reduced to €2,000 as 'once-off'
cost-of-living
measures for the past three years.
However, Minister for Higher Education
James Lawless
signalled late last month that a previous €1,000 reduction to fees would no longer apply after the Government decided there will be no cost-of-living package in the 2026 budget.
'There's a very clear commitment in the
programme for government
that we would continue to reduce it, and as someone who was leading the negotiations from the Fine Gael point of view, that is a very strong commitment that we've made, and one that we intend to see through,' Ms McEntee said.
'Obviously, any budget discussions have yet to happen or they'll be happening now over the summer months into October, and it will be for every individual Minister to set out exactly what their plans are and what their overall budget is, but we've made very clear commitments, and it's something that we want to see continue.'
Separately, the Minister said that while it is important for there to be flexibility and structure at a Government level in terms of remote working, there must be 'autonomy' within companies also.
AIB has moved to require staff eligible for hybrid working to return to its branches and offices three days a week on a phased basis, introducing the tightest rules among Irish retail banks.
'Ultimately, companies do have to make decisions based on what's right for them, what's right for the way in which they are working, while at the same time trying to support and recognise and acknowledge that people have families, school, commitments [and] that they have to try to work with them to make sure that everybody benefits from it,' Ms McEntee said.
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