The primary teachers’ union INTO plans to bombard TDs and Education Minister Norma Foley with emails as part of a campaign to get teachers back on to the Covid vaccine priority list. The teachers’ letter states the “downgrading of teachers in vaccination priority undermines my efforts, and the efforts of all education staff, to keep our primary and special schools open safely”. The three teacher unions are seeking a meeting with Department of Education officials about the change in the vaccine priority list, which came without warning or consultation. Even Ms Foley did not know about the change to the vaccine priority list before yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, where it was rubber-stamped. Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) general secretary Michael Gillespie said there was extreme anxiety among teachers as a result of yesterday’s news on changes to the vaccination roll-out schedule.

Source: Irish Independent March 31, 2021 18:33 UTC