Schools will be 'lucky to open in January at all', says Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

Education Minister Norma Foley held an online call with education spokespeople this evening criticised as a "box ticking exercise". 

Some opposition politicians don't believe schools will reopen at all in January.

Education Minister Norma Foley held an online call with education spokespeople this evening, described by one TD present as a "box-ticking exercise".

Ms Foley spoke twice during the hour-long call which heard mostly from Seán Ó Foghlú, the General Secretary of the Department of Education.

The department did not say whether schools would open as planned on Monday, January 11, with Mr Ó Foghlú stating only that they would be "guided by public health advice" and that the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and Ms Foley would both attend the cabinet sub-committee meeting on Tuesday, ahead of a full cabinet meeting on Wednesday when it's expected a decision would be made.

"Lucky to open"

Labour spokesman for Education Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, says "from the various noises I'm hearing they won't (open), they'll be lucky to open in January at all."

"We have to learn from the first lockdown, we need more than some printed guidelines. It has to remain possible to remain open for some pupils, the most at need or families most at need, such as frontline workers."

Social Democrats spokesperson Gary Gannon also told the Irish Examiner: "I don't think it will be possible to open schools the way the numbers are.

I was disappointed by the meeting, it was tokenistic, we were not given new information, and they kept referring to outdated Nphet advice.

"I appreciate that from their point of view, Nphet is not meeting till Thursday, but what solace is that for a family trying or organise childcare? It's politics of inaction and hoping everything is alright on the night and it's appalling."

Contingency planning raised

During the meeting, there were calls for schools to shut for the rest of the month from People Before Profit's Brid Smith to slow the spread of the virus and a concern from every deputy about special needs children and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Many inquired about what contingency planning had been done since the first lockdown and were told that guidelines for schools are already available.

The Minister and her officials repeated throughout the call that schools had been deemed "safe" by public health officials.

"The reason for the delay (of reopening) is because there is an acknowledgement that the new restrictions required a societal response seek to minimise contacts and slow the mobilisation of society," the minister said.

"The latest advice received by the department is that schools are by nature a safe environment and schools remain safe environments," and even if a child has a vulnerable family member they should try to attend school for their own wellbeing.

An official told the group that, on average, throughout the first term the detection rate for Covid-19 is 2-2.4% in schools, compared to 10% in the community.

Community transmission is currently at 36%.