Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Labour Party is determined to work with the Government to ensure that our schools remain open. We know, as the Government knows, how profoundly damaging it was for children and young people when our schools were closed, particularly those children and young people who are disadvantaged and those who have additional needs. I know that the Minister agrees with me on that, but he will have to accept that there is a huge amount of confusion and lack of leadership. School communities and principals are contacting every Deputy in this House about that level of confusion. They are saying daily that the system is at the brink of collapse. I spoke to a principal in the mid-west today who told me that he had a close contact issue with a member of staff, he contacted the helpline, as he is required to do, and he was told that the advice issued on Tuesday, even though it is on the website, is not yet active. That situation has changed between this morning and this afternoon. As the Minister will appreciate, there is a huge amount of confusion.

Yesterday, the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, was on the radio telling the country that antigen tests will be rolled out in schools by the end of this week. This morning, The Irish Timesreported that it will be the week after next, which is December. In April, the Government was told by the expert group chaired by Professor Mark Ferguson that antigen testing should be rolled out in primary and post-primary schools. The Minister, Deputy Foley, had the audacity to accuse me of being disingenuous. Professor Orla Hegarty of UCD said it would cost €12 million to have air purifiers installed in every classroom in the State. These are practical suggestions that the Labour Party has for the Government.

Yesterday, we raised with the Taoiseach if it is not reasonable, when justifiably it is the focus of Government to keep all of our schools open, that once those who are most vulnerable have been vaccinated, we would prioritise those working in our school sector, including teachers, SNAs and school principals, for booster vaccines. Is it not reasonable at this point to stop all of the unnecessary inspections in our schools given so many school leaders are dealing with nothing else but Covid?

Will the Government please stop coming out with the mantra that schools are safe? It is completely reasonable for Government to say that schools are no safer than any other working environment, but that it is really important that we keep them open. When the Government comes out with the one-liner that schools are safe, school communities do not think it is in touch with what they are experiencing day-to-day.

See this speech in context