Education Minister Norma Foley said the question of schools remaining open if the country moves to Level 5 restrictions would depend on the health advice. She said all decisions relating to school opening in the face of the Covid pandemic was underpinned by public health advice. The Government’s five point Framework for Living with Covid-19 envisages schools staying open up to Level 4, and at level 5 it says that it will depend on the “situation and evidence at the time”. There was speculation last week that the Government may consider extending the Hallowe’en mid-term break as part of wider measures to curb the spread of infection. Speaking on RTE’s Today with Claire Byrne, Ms Foley said: “There no plans to extend mid-term break.“ She said it was a priority to keep schools open, but at Level 5 they would look at the public health advice.

Source: Irish Independent October 12, 2020 10:52 UTC