The lack of supervision of young children who are left waiting around school gates before and after school opening hours is on the table for discussion again this autumn. Managers, teachers and parents are agreed that supervision must be provided. The issues to be ironed out with the Department of Education focus mainly on length and cost of supervision time. 

Áine Lynch, newly appointed chief executive of the National Parents Council Primary, wants to see an extension of the existing supervision scheme covering lunch breaks, to include periods before and after school opening and closing times. Under the current scheme, which is optional for teachers, the Department of Education provides for payment for 37 hours of supervision per year per teacher. Last year at primary level, this cost the government about €50m. 

Ms Lynch also wants to see supervision put in place on school buses and – while she believes that teachers are best placed to supervise outside schools - it could be that supervisors would be employed for the joint task of watching children on buses and outside schools. 

The INTO has advised schools to inform parents and school transport operators of school opening hours and to make it clear that they are not responsible for children outside these hours. 

The Catholic Primary School Management Association (CPSMA) favours paid supervision and has suggested traffic wardens for the job. (Source Irish Independent)