‘Be vigilant in terms of play dates and sleepovers at Easter’ – Norma Foley plans April 12 schools return ‘as it stands’

EDUCATION Minister Norma Foley has said she is planning for a full schools “re-opening on the 12th of April”, but urged parents to be "vigilant".

“As it stands at the moment that’s our agenda – we are re-opening on the 12th of April,” Minister Foley said.

“We are going to be cognisant of all that needs to be done in the intervening time to ensure that that happens.”

The Fianna Fáil TD said she understands “we are in a constant state of flux” regarding case numbers, but urged parents “particularly over Easter – with children on holidays that we would be particularly vigilant in terms of play dates and sleepovers."

“Everything is moving in the right direction in terms of education, but we are mindful from experience that things can change overnight,” she told Today with Claire Byrne.

Wearing mask in primary schools is not currently a requirement, Ms Foley added.

“It is not the public health advice and is not the best practice advice that is being advocated to us,” she said.

“If any parent or any child wishes to wear a mask, they are free to do so, but it is not public health advice to us at this point that children in primary school would wear a mask”.

She added that this may change depending on future public health advice.

Contact tracing in schools will be judged on a case-by-case basis by a “public health team who come on site”.

“We’re very conscious that no two schools will have a similar situation,” she said..

“The results that we are getting back in terms of a close contract testing rate of 2.6 – 2.7 pc is very reassuring when you compare that with the substantial positivity rate of households of 30 pc,” she added.

Recent figures showed there was less than five cases reported a day in Co. Kerry, but Minister Foley says, “we need it look at it as a whole” on whether the government should consider lifting restrictions regionally.

Ms Foley said she will continue to advocate for schoolteachers to be moved up the list for vaccination.

“We have made representations on a number of occasions in relation to school communities and school staff in terms of vaccine and we will continue to advocate for that,” she added.

Online Editors