All plans are in place for children to get back to school in late August and early September, Education Minister Norma Foley has said.
It comes after concerns that Covid-19 cases could hit 4,000 a day in the coming weeks and could jeopardize the return to classrooms for hundreds of thousands of children.
But Minister Foley has moved to reassure parents and said: “I am bringing a memo to Cabinet on Tuesday, and basically all our plans are in place, and we are preparing for a full return in late August and early September.
"I think it's important from a reassurance point of view that all our preparations are a consequence of an ongoing collaboration, engagement and consultation with public health.
"This is the same public health team that advised us so well last year, that we managed to successfully keep our schools open.”
She said that CO2 monitors will also be supplied to schools to increase ventilation in classrooms but that school transport will remain at 50% capacity.
All second level students will also have to continue wearing face masks throughout the day.
The Chief Medical Officer, Do Tony Holohan has said a high level of transmission in late summer could have a significant impact on the reopening of schools.
Minister Foley said she understands the point that has been made by the CMO, “really is that there is an obligation on all of us to do what we need to do throughout the summer.”
Speaking to RTE, she said public health has confidence “that we have sufficient mitigation measures in place and they're also confident that we have the flexibility and adaptability to introduce new measures if they're required.”
On vaccination of school-going children, Minister Foley said she has received confirmation that children aged 16-18 years should be in a position for online registration in the coming days.
She said she has been advised that the 12 -15 years cohort is still being considered by NIAC, with no definitive timeline for when a decision will be taken on vaccines for that age group.
