Written answers
Tuesday, 17 November 2020
Department of Education and Skills
School Closures
Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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516. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration will be given to a proposal to close schools early on 18 December 2020 to allow for a full week of reduced movements for families in order that they might be healthy and safe enough to visit grandparents and so on for the festive period. [36736/20]
Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The scheduling of the school holiday periods during the academic years is agreed between the managerial authorities of schools, the teacher unions and my Department for the purposes of standardising breaks at Christmas, Easter and mid-term. This is important to ensure certainty for the school community about the dates of school holidays. There are no plans to alter the school break at Christmas. It should be borne in mind that it is the view of Public Health that the evidence available to date shows that schools are proving to be safe spaces for children and for staff. Transmission rates of Covid-19 in schools are low, much lower than the rate currently in the community.
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