{"id":24683,"date":"2022-01-04T13:05:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-04T18:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=24683"},"modified":"2022-01-05T11:08:07","modified_gmt":"2022-01-05T16:08:07","slug":"schools-in-ireland-to-reopen-as-planned-on-thursday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=24683","title":{"rendered":"Schools In Ireland To Reopen As Planned On Thursday"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Officials from the Department of Education met with teachers unions on Tuesday to discuss the reopening of schools (PA Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Schools will reopen as planned on Thursday, the Department of Education has confirmed, following advice from public health officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It comes after health officials told the Government there is no \u201cpublic health rationale to delay the reopening of schools\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some teachers\u2019 unions called for the Government to re-think its approach to the return of schools, given the increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Department of Education, health officials, unions and school management bodies met on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin, T\u00e1naiste Leo Varadkar and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan also met to discuss and review the Covid-19 situation, amid record case numbers. Covid measures are also set to be discussed at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A spokesperson for the Department of Education described the meeting with the unions and health officials as \u201cproductive\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEducation stakeholders were briefed by the Minister and public health representatives on how the Covid-19 mitigation measures in place in schools have been reviewed by Public Health and will continue in place in the coming term,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPublic health remains of the view that these mitigation measures are effective and appropriate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFurthermore, public health officials advised that there is no public health rationale to delay the reopening of schools later this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSchools will operate in line with their Covid-19 response plans, which set out a range of mitigation measures for schools, including hand hygiene, mask-wearing, and social distancing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSchools have also been provided with guidance on maintaining good ventilation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The spokesperson said parents and students would receive guidance telling them \u201csymptomatic students and household close contacts should not attend school\u201d.<\/p>\n

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