The approach to supporting schools to operate safely during Covid-19 has been to follow and implement public health advice. The infection prevention and control measures in place in schools have worked very effectively to prevent and control Covid-19 in schools. The Department will continue to work closely with public health officials and the education stakeholders in respect of the safe operation of schools during Covid-19.
As a contingency measure, the Department has already provided a suite of guidance materials, agreed with the education partners, to enable schools to facilitate the continuity of learning should a school be required to close due to public health advice. These are available at www.gov.ie/backtoschool. This documentation has been complemented by Circular 0074/2020 (Communication/Teaching & Learning Platform) which requires all schools to have in place appropriate contingency measures to ensure that they are prepared to continue to support teaching and learning in the event of a partial or full closure of schools arising from Public Health advice.