Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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108. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a copy will be provided of the public health advice from NPHET on the phased return of the various year groups back into school buildings; if this advice made specific reference to the leaving certificate year group sixth years.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13687/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Government has always been guided by public health advice in relation to what is safe in schools. The CMO has made it very clear in his advices to Government which are published on gov.ie, that schools are safe environments, with very little evidence of transmission within schools, and that the majority of infections of children and adolescents occurs outside the school setting. Schools have put significant infection prevention control measures in place to reduce the risk of coronavirus being transmitted to/within the school and significant funding of almost €650 million has been put in place by my Department to fund Covid-19 related measures, including funding for PPE, sanitation and additional cleaning etc.

The decision to delay the reopening of schools was in recognition of the need to reduce societal activity and movement to curb the spread of the virus at a time where there was unprecedented levels of disease transmission in the community. This was not based on a changed assessment of the risks in relation to transmission levels in schools.