Teachers' union wants change to close contact tracing for schools deferred

The country's largest teachers' union has reacted angrily to the contact tracing changes and called for a deferral until after the mid-term break.

Parents will no longer have to keep their children home from primary school or creche if they are a Covid-19 close contact case as long as they are asymptomatic.

The change means that, from Monday, children who would have been forced to restrict their movements will be able to remain in school.