Department confirms schools set to reopen on Thursday

The Tánaiste has said that schools will reopen, as planned, on Thursday, January 6.

Leo Varadkar's comments follow a meeting today between Department of Education officials and teachers unions' representatives to discuss concerns around students returning to classrooms amid staff shortages and a surge of Omicron Covid cases.

Some teachers unions had called for a staggered reopening prioritising exam students; while others asked for an outright postponement.

Mr Varadkar said: "In the unlikely event that there's any change to that plan [reopening] the Minister for Education will make an announcement."

He added: "As things stand, schools and college go back as normal in January."

The importance of ensuring exam year students are not overlooked if school reopenings are delayed has been emphasised by a prominent teacher’s union representative.

Micheál Martin of Castleblayney College, Monaghan and Executive Committee member of the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI), acknowledged that all students have missed out because of pandemic disruptions, but said exam year students should be prioritised.

Prior to today's meeting between the Minister for Education and teaching union reps, the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI), publicly called for a postponement of the reopening of schools after the Christmas holidays.

Mr Martin of the TUI said that planning for reopening presented significant challenges.

Mr Martin told this newspaper: “With so many people having Covid, between students and staff, it will be quite a demanding process to manage.

“During the holiday period people took time out, you had more people mixing. At this stage you can only take stock of who is available,” the TUI Executive Committee member said.

“The rate of infection is a significant concern. At the minute we are trying to imagine what will emanate today, but we are in a vacuum.

“Those who are around the table with the Minister today will have a better grasp of the numbers and what is anticipated over the next couple of weeks. It’s a wait and see situation,” he said.

Mr Martin said it’s important to support students in exam years: “The information is changing rapidly. Even since the New Year hospital admissions have increased rapidly, that information is changing all the time.

“My personal opinion is that priority should be given to the cohort of students taking the Leaving Cert, the Leaving Cert applied and the Junior Cert; be that on a phased reopening, or a delayed phased reopening.

“At the end of the day if you have a child in third year or sixth year you want to give them the best possible opportunity. That is not disregarding other years.

“All students have lost out, but if there is to be any type of reduction you would like to see that group getting preference,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, rules for close contacts of confirmed cases of COVID-19 will be re-examined by public health officials due to the impact they are having across multiple sectors.