Skip to main content
Normal View

Covid-19 Pandemic

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 September 2020

Wednesday, 30 September 2020

Questions (150)

Bríd Smith

Question:

150. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education the circumstances under which a primary school may be closed as a result of Covid-19 safety guidelines and multiple cases of illness and-or suspected cases of illness; the authority that makes such a decision; if her Department has oversight of or a final say in such decisions and the role public health officials play in making such decisions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27688/20]

View answer

Written answers

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre and the HSE have published guidance for managing potential cases of COVID-19 in educational settings, which includes the testing strategy within an educational facility ‘Schools Pathway for COVID-19, the Public Health approach’: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a0bff-reopening-our-primary-and-special-schools/

This guidance provides that the HSE Department of Public Health will liaise directly with schools regarding any actions to be taken following a Public Health Risk Assessment. In practice, this involves the HSE Department of Public Health liaising directly with the designated contact, usually the school principal of the public health instructions. These instructions are for implementation of public health measures required under Infectious Diseases legislation.

My Department has also recently published detailed FAQs for school principals in relation to the COVID-19 Testing Pathway for school communities. These FAQs will greatly assist principals to understand and manage situations as they arise in their schools and they include HSE contact details, including for out of hours for any queries that the FAQs do not address.

Top
Share