School principal: Foot and mouth plans ‘better than for swine flu’

THE head of a Limerick secondary school yesterday claimed the Government response to the foot and mouth outbreak some years ago was far more comprehensive in schools than the approach now being taken to deal with the swine flu pandemic.

Noel Malone, who is principal of Coláiste Chiaráin in Croom, said his school got far more support with regard to advice on best practice during the foot and mouth outbreak than they are getting in how to cope with the swine flu outbreak.

Mr Malone said: “When we had the foot and mouth we were issued with advice posters to place up around the schools. We were told about canceling various events such as matches, using hand swabs with phones, where to place foot disinfectant and there was a very joined-up approach by the Department of Education and the Department of Health and the health authorities at the time.