Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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103. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide details of the antigen testing process for junior infant, senior infant, 1st and 2nd classes that do not operate in pods. [57867/21]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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106. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps she is taking to ensure that parents of school age children receive an antigen tests as rapidly as possible in the post. [57870/21]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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107. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a process of antigen testing is being rolled out in secondary schools; if antigen testing in secondary schools has been examined; and if not, the reason therefor. [57871/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 103, 106 and 107 together.

The Department of Health and the HSE, working in collaboration with the Department of Education announced last week a programme in which antigen tests will be made available to children in primary schools.

Parents and Guardians of a primary school child, who is a confirmed case of COVID-19 following a PCR test, will be 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. These tests can be ordered from a helpline operated by the HSE. The tests will be sent to the children’s parents by the HSE.

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

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. Where two or more confirmed cases of COVID-19 occur in a class, within a seven-day period, outside of a single pod, antigen testing will be offered to the full class. Pod size can vary depending on the class size and the infrastructure.

The programme will commence on or before 29 November.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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104. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the role the HSE and school specific public health teams will play in schools given the new announcements that place an onus on the principal to complete contact tracing. [57868/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The HSE’s Public Health teams will continue to provide support to schools should it be required and testing will remain available more broadly to children should it be required on public health or clinical grounds or following a Public Health Risk Assessment. The HSE’s Public Health teams continue to prioritise high-risk settings and vulnerable groups such as special schools and special classes.

In relation to the programme in which antigen tests will be made available to children in primary schools announced last week, school principals will not be required to gather evidence of participation or of any antigen test results. School principals on receiving confirmation from a parent of a confirmed case following a PCR test will notify other parents of children in a pod so that they can order antigen tests directly from the HSE. Where two or more confirmed cases of COVID-19 occur in a class, within a seven-day period, outside of a single pod, antigen testing will be offered to the full class.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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105. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if school staff will receive antigen tests and if so, the circumstances that will permit same. [57869/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Health and the HSE, working in collaboration with the Department of Education has announced last week a programme in which antigen tests will be made available to children in primary schools.

Where there is a confirmed case in a pod, an SNA or other staff member working closely with children in the pod may also avail of the antigen tests and request them from the HSE.

Where there is an additional case in a second pod within seven days, then the class teacher and other staff members working in the classroom may request the antigen tests through the HSE Freephone number. This is an entirely voluntary measure and staff should continue to attend the workplace unless they develop symptoms or receive a detected result on the antigen test.