Teachers  to be prioritised as 'urgent cases' in contact tracing catch-up

Covid outbreaks in schools have surged for a second week in a row, almost doubling from 25  to 46.

Teachers affected by the collapse in contact tracing are to be prioritised as 'urgent cases', the Department of Education has said.

“Particular challenges” have arisen when it comes to schools as the number of positive cases of Covid-19 has gone up, according to Seán Ó Foghlú, secretary-general of the Department.

Mr Ó Foghlú was speaking at the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee, where the department was invited to discuss its financial accounts from 2019 and 2018.

When asked by Imelda Munster, Sinn Fein TD, about reports in recent days of school principals having to do their own contact tracing due to delays, Mr Ó Foghlú conceded issues have arisen. 

Public Health is leading the response to outbreaks in schools, with his department working closely with them, he said.

“There’s a procedure in place where they really are trying to work speedily with schools as soon as they understand there’s been a case with a student or a staff member.” 

But challenges have arisen, he added. 

“If any staff member of a school has been in that group over the weekend, where they asked to do their own contact tracing, the school is asked to inform the department and we will make sure that the public health people work with those staff, process the staff in schools in an urgent way.

"We recognise there are challenges there and public health authorities are seeking to put in place enhanced public health teams for when the schools return after the mid-term break.”

When asked about delays in contact tracing, by Marc MacSharry, Mr Ó Foghlú said efforts are being made to improve the situation. 

"We share their concerns. They are making a huge effort to sustain schooling at this really horrific time with this virus." 

New figures show that outbreaks of the virus recorded in schools rapidly increased again for a second week in a row, almost doubling from 25 recorded outbreaks to 46. 

Data published by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) defines an outbreak as two or more Covid-19 cases in a school. 

In these figures, the HPSC has not necessarily established transmission of the virus within the school. 

Attempts were also made to question Mr Ó Foghlú about the issue of thousands of students receiving the wrong calculated grade in their Leaving Certificate at the PAC. 

However, a new rule mandated by the Oireachtas seeks to limit the questions that the PAC can ask those appearing before it to those on the subject of their published accounts.