Education Minister Norma Foley has said the HSE will roll out antigen testing in schools as quickly as possible.
The Kerry TD said parents should be “reassured by how our schools have been operating” throughout the pandemic.
Speaking to reporters in Galway on Friday, she said: “The CMO has recently confirmed that where appropriate in specific circumstances, that antigen testing will be made available in schools.
“The HSE have been charged with the responsibility of the rolling out or the implementation of that and we in the Department are supporting and will do whatever is necessary to support the implementation of that with the HSE.”
Minister Foley said the HSE will “roll it out as quickly as possible.”
The Taoiseach said antigen testing will be used for close contacts of primary school children.
However, he said the most significant development is non-Covid respiratory illnesses in school going children.
He added: “What the CMO has said is there will be specific circumstances where particular circumstances there can be utilisation of antigen testing in schools and that’s something we’ll be working towards.”
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