Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I know this does not fall under our remit but, because it will be three weeks before the Department's representatives meet the Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, teachers have asked me to raise the cross-departmental issue of contact tracing. The delays in this area are causing them an awful lot of anxiety. Will the Department consider issuing protocols with regard to things emerging out of hours, after school or over the weekend? That suggestion comes from schools. I know it is not our business but I said I would mention it.