Minister Norma Foley told RTÉ's Today With Claire Byrne that the priority of Government is to maintain and keep the schools open across all levels of the Living with Covid plan.
Ms Foley said the "most likely scenario" is that next month's Leaving Cert exams will be held in schools rather than in other locations as "there's a level of expertise in our schools in relation to the running of the exams".The minister said 2,800 students have applied to sit their exams, which is less than 5% of the Leaving Cert cohort, some of whom have applied to sit just one or two subjects.
With any positive case of Covid 19 in schools, "public health would take over" and that this was "right and proper".
Yeah destroy the economy but for goodness sake keep the kids daycare open
Even if children in the school have covid?
Totally agree with this.
Let’s be honest minister... the plan is, there is no plan !
Lead by example NormaFoleyTD1 and get back into the Daíl
NormaFoleyTD1 can you explain the logic in schools open & all underage sports (which are predominantly outdoor )cancelled
No❤️
Close the schools for snow but not for a pandemic 🥴
Can’t wait to get infected and spread it to my family and friends 🥰🥰🥰 thanks Norma girl xxx NormaFoleyTD1 canceltheLC covidbriefing COVID19
Try explaining it to a bright 11 year old who is distressed every morning going to school. She can’t understand why the government cares more about the economy than the kids. Economies can recover with time and aid but humans can’t be not dead anymore. Can’t argue with her logic!
Saw a group of teenagers from school on their lunch break today queing up at the deli counter in the shop, inches apart, Once outside masks off and getting stuck into their sausage rolls and wedges. All happily mingling together,.once at they reach the school gate mask back on😂
Seemingly she has also said that schools closing at level 5 would depend on the health advice. Not sure who would be giving that advice as they’ve rejected the medical and health advice already. Maybe Dan Brien or that Ciará one?
clown of a minister🤡
There is covid-19 in the school in Mullingar my nephew attends. He has special.needs.
Credit where credit is due. Students, teachers and ancillary staff have gone above and beyond in the past months and deserve some recognition 👏🏼
Confusing .......we are all told not to mix with people, with the exception of one household. Would someone please explain about mixing in schools, how many families are interacting on a daily basis.
Please return staggered college days for 3rd level students. Its ridiculous having secondary students in and 3rd level not. I understand theres a lot more in 3rd level but at least bring them in once a week doing at least every subject once in a classroom setting.
We were promised that school would not open if Covoid19 figure were high now that it is the are keeping schools open. So a broken promises already. What if students bring home the virus to parents and grandparents what if they mental health then.
Even if smaller children don't spread it, all the other movement and interaction between parents and households has to be significant. People don't obey social distancing etc
Mullingar school had to shut to... money over health that’s the bottom line
My little brother in 3rd class can attend his school during Covid but I get 0 hours a week on college Campus and learn absolutely nothing
Wowsers. And she knows. They all know. And yet they’re willing to risk the health of teachers, your children, you, and the wider community... some of whom will die because of this sociopathic decision. I’d be keeping children home from now if you possibly can. CloseTheSchools
I thought it was to save lives?
School in limerick with 8 cases
Till is too late 🤷🏻♀️
NormaFoleyTD1 I am 100% behind schools being open but can you honestly say its been done safely. Classrooms are packed and contact tracing cannot keep up. Please please review.
It's the correct decision, children have suffered enough, well done to the teachers and students
If this Government is serious about keeping the Virus 🦠 under control. To protect the people. Schools 🏫 will Close for Long Weekend. October November. Why . To reduce number of people moving around. Will lower the Virus 🦠. Growth . Less people moving. The lower the Virus 🦠.
She should be removed from her job!
NormaFoleyTD1 weve had to send a year group home due to the sheer amount of teachers absent waiting on tests. This is the second week this has happened. Where are the thousand subs we were promised? The fast testing?
LYING MONSTER.
johnboyle_INTO INTOnews sort it out we’re not going to work in overcrowded classrooms if there’s level 5
The minister hasn't a clue what she's doing at all, keeping schools open is best for a student's wellbeing? This is from the same government that had no consideration for our wellbeing after cancelling exams, they will continue to make error after error
Oooo norma you are a terrible tease.
You don’t know what your doing one week to the next lol
Well done to teachers staff and students... 👍👏
Just dropping this for the 'most in need of improvement' workforce in West England
And what about the general workforce?
Ok Norma, a mess of the leaving cert and now a mess of the opening of schools, should have opened them up safely, for frontline workers and such, remote learning for anyone that could do it. So many schools already this morning reporting cases, + no tracing!
she's some clown