Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

The fact that I was not called for my allocated slot gives me an opportunity to challenge some of the revisionism and scapegoating that I have heard in the past 11 minutes. I hope to take the opportunity to do that, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I will use my time to ask questions and, hopefully, to receive short answers. I will defend my time against any attempts at evasion in that regard.

In the week from 20 to 26 December, 412 cases of Covid-19 were detected among children or students between the ages of 13 and 18 years. In the week from 3 to 9 January, the week just past, 2,827 cases of Covid-19 were detected among the age cohort between 13 and 18 years. Let us keep those figures in mind.

The Minister reiterated on many occasions in her media engagements and in the letter she sent to schools yesterday to be sent out to parents that schools were safe. Given the current situation, what scientific data are guiding the Minister to state unequivocally that schools are safe environments at this particular moment with the virus surging and a new variant in our midst?

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