Future school closures due to Covid outbreaks will be based on public health advice

Minister for Education Norma Foley. Picture: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie

Minister for Education, Norma Foley, has said that any decision on the closure of schools in the event of an outbreak of Covid-19 will be determined by public health experts.

"No school community or school management would have to make such a decision," she told RTÉ radio’s News at One.

There was now a “burden of responsibility” on society “to do what needs to be done” to allow for a full reopening of schools, that was why priority had been given to education, she said.

After two weeks of the return to school for some groups on March 1, the situation would be adjudicated.

Schools would be assisted by public health experts in the event of an outbreak where testing would take place and the tests would then be “red-flagged”.

“No two schools will be the same.” When asked about antigen testing, Ms Foley pointed out that the World Health Organisation does not recommend antigen testing in schools, but that if it was the adjudication of the health experts that antigen testing was required then it would be put in place, she said.

The Minister also said that the progress of children on their return to school would be monitored and that if additional supports were required then they would be put in place.

In the meantime, there were supplementary supports in place for SNAs and parents to assist with any students who were experiencing difficulties with remote learning.