Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 106: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she or the Health Service Executive is monitoring the effect of the swine flu outbreak in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39840/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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As part of the pandemic planning process, the Health Services Executive has provided guidance and protocols concerning swine flu incidences in schools. This guidance advises that in the event of an unusual number of students or staff within a particular school presenting with influenza like illness, the principal of that school should inform the Department of Public Health of the HSE. Departments of Public Health in turn inform the Health Protection Surveillance Centre which collates this data on a weekly basis. The number of such schools reporting has been low indicating that schools have been managing the situation well.