Former Education Minister Joe McHugh turned down a junior ministry in the new government.

The new Government is set to name its junior ministers today — with geography high on the criteria.

Around Leinster House on Saturday, there were three groups - those who got the call, those who didn't although they hoped they might, and those who entered the day with no expectation of a call at all.

All students should be back in the classroom five days a week when the new school year begins, the education minister has insisted.

There will be a "massive" cost when it comes to reopening schools fully, the Minister for Education has warned.

The written version of the Leaving Certificate exam will be held in November at the earliest, the Education Minister has said.

The full return to school for thousands of children and young people hinges on whether or not it will be safe to relax, or remove, social distancing in classrooms, according to the official advice compiled by the Department of Education.

While further details on the Government’s plans have been welcomed, concerns still remain over the viability of summer programmes for children with special educational needs.

Primary school students will only return to school for one day a week if two metre social distancing guidelines remain in place.

It is understood that the programme for 10,000 children, which seeks to include those with Down syndrome, is highly reliant on volunteers coming forward and there is a concern not enough have signalled a willingness to do so.

Summer tuition looks set to be offered to more children this year in recognition of the impact the extended school closure has had on the families of children with special needs.

Plans to provide summer tuition to thousands of students who need additional support are expected to get the green light in the coming days.

The Department of Education intends to “maximize” students' return to classrooms at the end of August, the Minister for Education has said.

An “open the gates” approach to third-level entry was considered as an alternative to this summer’s Leaving Cert.

Ireland can learn from other countries, but our underfunded, overcrowded system will face challenges, writes Jess Casey

School budgets are to come under significant pressure in the coming months as the Department of Education confirmed no additional funding has been approved to tackle the high cost of combatting the Covid-19 fallout.

The government has been accused of sending further mixed messages after the Taoiseach said schools would reopen in August.

Students at Dublin City University have been offered flexible accommodation for the upcoming academic year as it is “highly unlikely” they will be on campus for full weeks.

Last night on RTÉ Prime Time, Minister Joe McHugh said he would not accept a 'half return' to schools in September.

Almost 60,000 Leaving Cert students have registered, but the Department of Education says it is conscious of some students being unable to sign-up.

Parents were thrown into further confusion yesterday after the Minister for Education said students would not be returning to school in September as normal.

The Minister said it was his mission to ensure as many students as possible return to school in September.

Munster's newest technological university will play a key role in driving the recovery of the region post-Covid, while improving access to education.

University of Limerick (UL) students who left their accommodation on foot of the Government’s decision to close campuses should be refunded, the university’s governing authority has recommended.

State Solicitor’s Office to act for teachers if required

Union demands for clarity over the proposed indemnity scheme for teachers have been met and they are satisfied, Education Minister Joe McHugh has said.

Thousands of teachers will now begin grading Leaving Cert students as the country’s largest second-level teaching union advises its members to begin working on the process.

Plans for this year’s Leaving Cert have been thrown into disarray after the country’s largest second-level teaching union told members not to begin marking students as it believes the legal protection currently being offered to teachers is “unacceptable”.

The country’s largest second-level teaching union has advised its members not to begin marking Leaving Cert students as it believes the legal protection currently being offered to teachers is unacceptable.

Students who try to influence their calculated grade for the Leaving Cert will be reported to the Department of Education.

Speaking in the Dáil, Joe McHugh confirmed that Dr Áine Lawlor, former Director of the Teaching Council, has agreed to chair the Independent Steering Committee on Calculated Grades and will oversee the "quality and integrity" of the system

Children's Minister Katherine Zappone will face the Dáil on Wednesday to answer questions on the collapse of the government's proposed childcare scheme for frontline workers.

What a terrible week it has been for this acting Government. A Government, frankly speaking, which has more than outstayed its welcome and needs to be put out of its misery, writes Daniel McConnell

The University of Limerick (UL) is coming under increasing pressure to refund rent paid by students who vacated campus accommodation due to the coronavirus.

How Irish universities and colleges operate, teach, make money and research will face fundamental change over the next five years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The education minister says he is open to expanding tuition throughout the summer months for children with severe and profound intellectual disabilities or autism.

"It would not be the exam experience which students had prepared for and would have had an expectation of sitting before this crisis hit."

The Education Minister has been accused of mishandling the Junior and Leaving Cert during the coronavirus crisis.

The Education Minister will face questions in the Dáil this afternoon on the decision to scrap the Leaving Cert.

The Education Minister will face tough questions in the Dáil tomorrow in his first appearance since the cancellation of the Leaving Certificate exams.

Education Minister Joe McHugh will face Dáil questions on the cancellation of the Leaving Cert on Wednesday.

The country's largest teachers' union is seeking legal advice over fears teachers could be sued due to the calculated grades they give this year's Leaving Cert students.

An official protocol to document when a student, or their parents, attempt to lobby teachers to improve their calculated Leaving Cert grades must be put in place to protect schools.

The decision by the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) to support calculated grading process for this year’s Leaving Cert is welcome. In a very trying situation where options and time were limited, clarity urgently needed and no immediate end to the pandemic in sight, it is difficult to imagine an alternate, viable response that might win universal approval.