Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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1031. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the wearing of face coverings in classrooms is mandatory or voluntary; if exemptions exist; and if so, the details of same. [19463/21]

Norma 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. Indoors where physical distancing is not possible, face coverings should be worn by teachers, staff, and post primary students.

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. Students in these categories can continue to attend school as normal while observing arrangements in place to protect themselves though regular hand hygiene, maintaining physical distancing and the application of respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette.