Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Schools have been advised that it is expected that they will continue to operate with the current infection prevention and control measures outlined in school Covid response plans to support their safe operation during Covid-19 when they reopen in for the 2021/2022 school year. Schools will continue to be supported in terms of the additional resources necessary to provide for these measures.

Schools Covid-19 response plans are based on the Government’s Work Safely Protocol which reflects the most up to date public health advice for the workplace. It sets out the range of measures required to prevent the spread of Covid-19. These plans will be updated by the Department during the summer and will be available for schools in advance of reopening. It is not envisaged that there will be any updates that require schools to take action in advance of normal reopening.

The Department will undertake a communications campaign with parents and students/pupils in advance of school reopening to inform and remind them of the arrangements in place in schools operating during Covid-19. This will include specifically targeted information at new pupils entering primary and post-primary schools to ensure they are familiar with the new arrangements.

The Department will continue to work closely with all of the education partners and public health specialists so that schools will continue to be supported when they reopen for the 2021/2022 school year.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The current COVID-19 arrangements in place for teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are outlined in my Department’s Circular Letter 0021/2021. The Circular caters for special leave with pay arrangements where a teacher/SNA has been advised to self-isolate and cannot attend the workplace. It also caters for the working arrangements where a teacher/SNA has been advised by the HSE to restrict their movements or where the teacher/SNA has been categorised by the Occupational Health Service (OHS) as at a very high risk of serious illness from contracting COVID-19. In both these cases, the teacher/SNA remains available for work and must be facilitated by the employer to work remotely i.e. work from home.

Upon the reopening of schools in March 2021, a pregnant teacher/SNA was advised by my Department to work remotely, pending further clarification from the HSE on their published guidance for pregnant employees in the education sector. Further details on the alternative working arrangements for a teacher/SNA working from home, is available at paragraph 4.1 of Circular 0021/2021.

My Department’s Information Note TC 0013/2021 published on 5th May outlined the working arrangements for the ‘Very High Risk’ and also the pregnant teachers/SNAs for the remainder of the 202/21 school year. In relation to working arrangements for the 2021/22 school year, it is expected that updated Education Sector guidelines from the HSE will be made available shortly. Following this, my Department will publish updated guidance for the ‘Very High Risk’ and for pregnant teachers/SNAs.