Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 2 December 2021

Select Committee on Education and Skills

Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary)
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Supplementary)

Photo of Ruairi Ó MurchúRuairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister and the Minister of State for making themselves available. I wish to deal with the issue of the guidance for mask wearing for children in third class and above. It is fair to say that the guidance was released at the eleventh hour. There was only 12 hours' notice. Kids were expected to be in school the next morning. I think there has been a difficulty with the language. It can be seen as being framed almost in the context of confrontation and an assumption of non-co-operation from parents. It puts schools in an invidious position. Schools will step up to the mark, I have no doubt, and probably a great many people at school level, parents and even kids will show calm heads and sense. As for the national public health emergency team, NPHET guidelines and the lack of clarity, it took an incredible amount of time before the narrative came directly from the Government. We have to avoid that into the future. Could I have initially a general commentary from the Minister on that?