Written answers

Tuesday, 15 September 2020

Department of Education and Skills

Covid-19 Pandemic

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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426. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if clear guidelines have been given in writing to each post-primary school to the effect that if a pupil in the school has medical certification to the effect that he or she cannot wear a face covering, he or she is exempted from doing so and can continue to attend school as normal with the arrangements for hand hygiene and so on and no particular special arrangements for physical distance required; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23797/20]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department received advice from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) on the use of face coverings in educational settings on the 6th August 2020.It is a requirement for face coverings to be worn by teachers, staff in schools and students attending post primary school.

However Public health advice also provides that cloth face coverings should not be worn by any of the following groups:

- any person with difficulty breathing

- any person who is unable to remove the face-covering without assistance

- any person who has special needs and who may feel upset or very uncomfortable wearing the face covering, for example persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities, mental health conditions, sensory concerns or tactile sensitivity.

A medical certificate must be provided to the school where an exemptions is sought on the above grounds. There is no capacity for schools to deviate from either the requirement to wear face coverings or the exemptions that apply.

Advice for schools on the use of face coverings is available in the COVID-19 Response Plans for schools published on the www.gov.ie/backtoschool.

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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427. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department was in contact with a school (details supplied) about a situation that has arisen in which a pupil has not been allowed to attend classes as they cannot wear a face covering, according to medical evidence which has been supplied; the response of the school to this contact; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23798/20]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has been in contact with the school in relation to the issue raised by the Deputy and will continue to engage with the school until the matter is resolved. My Department received advice from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) on the use of face coverings in educational settings on the 6th August 2020. It is a requirement for face coverings to be worn by teachers, staff in schools and students attending post primary school.

However Public health advice also provides that cloth face coverings should not be worn by any of the following groups:

- any person with difficulty breathing

- any person who is unable to remove the face-covering without assistance

- any person who has special needs and who may feel upset or very uncomfortable wearing the face covering, for example persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities, mental health conditions, sensory concerns or tactile sensitivity.

A medical certificate must be provided to the school where an exemptions is sought on the above grounds. There is no capacity for schools to deviate from either the requirement to wear face coverings or the exemptions that apply.

Advice for schools on the use of face coverings is available in the COVID-19 Response Plans for schools published on the www.gov.ie/backtoschool.

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