326. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason managers of the summer programme are prevented by the ESINET system being paid as manager until the entire programme concludes at the end of August. [54516/26]

Details of the 2026 Summer Programme were communicated to all schools on the 6th May 2026.

All schools have been offered the opportunity to run a school-based programme for children with the most complex special educational needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage.

Where a school does not intend to run a school-based programme or there is no place on the programme for an eligible child, schools were invited to make an application for the home-based programme.

Since 2022, schools running the school-based Summer Programme have utilised the Department’s Esinet system to submit payment claims. In doing so, this allows staff payment claims to be processed on an ongoing basis during the summer. Payments for the school-based summer programme are generally paid in the next available payroll following the submission of fully completed payment claims by schools.

Manager claims can be entered immediately after the conclusion of the Summer Programme in the school, once all duties have been completed and the school’s Student Numbers and Summer Programme Survey have been input and approved.