Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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367. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when antigen tests will be rolled out for classroom close contacts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57375/21]

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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369. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the protocols will be finalised to establish a programme of rapid antigen testing of close contacts in school settings in response to positive Covid-19 cases. [57382/21]

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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370. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a programme for rapid antigen testing will be operational to test close contacts in school settings in response to positive Covid-19 cases. [57383/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 367, 369 and 370 together.

The Department of Health and the HSE, working in collaboration with the Department of Education has announced a programme in which antigen tests will be made available to children in a primary school pod, where a child in the pod is a confirmed case of COVID-19. The tests will be sent to the children’s parents by the HSE.

Parents and Guardians of a primary school child, who is a confirmed case of COVID-19 following a PCR test, are asked to inform their school’s principal. The school principal will then inform the parents of other children in the pod of a confirmed case. No personal details of the child will be shared. These parents will be provided with the option to receive free antigen tests for their child, which they will be able to order for delivery to their home.

It is important that parents inform principals quickly if a child receives a PCR ‘detected’ test for Covid-19. By doing this, the choice to participate in antigen testing can be offered to other parents quickly. It is important that everyone continues to follow all the public health advice in using this new programme. The programme will commence on or before the 29^thNovember.

It is not mandatory for children to participate in antigen testing. Children who are in a pod where a child has tested positive for Covid-19 can continue to attend school, whether they participate in antigen testing or not, provided they are not experiencing symptoms of Covid-19.

School principals will not be required to gather evidence of participation or of any antigen test results. Information materials for parents has been shared with schools and publicised directly to parents and this programme will commence shortly.

It is still important to ensure that no-one with new acute symptoms attend class, and that all recommended infection prevention and control measures are in place in line with school Covid response plans.