Covid-19 Pandemic

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 October 2020

Wednesday, 7 October 2020

Questions (133)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

133. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 459 of 15 September 2020, if further clarification will be provided regarding face covering exemptions for secondary school students; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that some secondary schools operating under the joint managerial body for voluntary secondary schools are demanding that parents of pupils provide more than a medical certificate from a doctor stating that a child has breathing difficulties, for example, asthma, therefore exempting the child from wearing a face covering; if her attention has been further drawn to the fact that some schools are demanding a note from a doctor specifying in writing that the child does not have to wear a face covering, which goes beyond the content of Government guidelines and which in some cases doctors are not willing to provide; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29031/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education

As outlined in my response of 14 September, my Department received advice from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) on the use of face coverings in educational settings on the 6th August 2020. It is a requirement for face coverings to be worn by teachers, staff in schools and students attending post primary school.

However Public health advice also set out a number of categories where cloth face coverings should not be worn. Subsequent clarification was provided to schools setting out that in the case of exemptions, a medical certificate is required to certify that a person falls into one of these categories. The medical certificate must be provided to the school by or on behalf of any student who claims they are covered by these exemptions.