Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 June 2020
164. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if schools will be directed to accept a small number of pupils before phase 5 of the Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business in order to test measures that will be needed in September 2020 with much larger numbers. [8400/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn the 1 May 2020, the Taoiseach announced as part of the "Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business" that schools will commence opening on a phased basis at the beginning of the 2020/2021 academic year.
My Department is engaging and working with the education partners and relevant stakeholders on planning arrangements for the re-opening of schools in accordance with the timeframe outlined in the roadmap and all decisions on how schools are to safely re-open and operate will be consistent with public health advice.
As part of this engagement, each of the education partners were given the opportunity to outline the key issues that they would like to have considered in the context of re-opening schools.
These will now be worked through in detail as part of the development of the roadmap for re-opening schools. This work will also be informed by guidance and experience from other jurisdictions and from advice published by international bodies such as the World Health Organisation and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
