Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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433. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if public health HSE or his Department have the mobile numbers of principals in primary and post-primary schools nationwide in the event of contact tracing taking place when schools are closed, that is, at the weekend. [23854/20]

Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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434. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when schools were first contacted and informed that they had to have a summary of key information to assist public health HSE in its public health risk assessment. [23855/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 433 and 434 together.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre and the HSE have published guidance for managing potential cases of COVID-19 in educational settings which includes the testing strategy within an educational facility ‘Schools Pathway for COVID-19, the Public Health approach’

www.gov.ie/en/publication/a0bff-reopening-our-primary-and-special-schools/.

My Department contacted all schools on 27^thAugust to advise of the publication of the schools pathway document for management of COVID-19 within the school community. A key to this response is the ability of the public health professionals to contact schools where a suspected case arises. In certain instances this may include out of hours, in the evening or at weekends.

My Department wrote to school principals on the 8^thSeptember requesting a mobile number for a designated contact, preferably the School Principal, who can be contacted in the event of a suspected case. My Department has also requested schools to have a summary of key information to assist Public Health in their Public Health Risk Assessment ready to be provided on request.