Schools may use Covid-19 funding to provide medical-grade face masks to teachers under Department of Education guidance.

The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) said on Tuesday that  Government had “finally” agreed to supply masks to all teachers  in talks on Tuesday.

However, on Wednesday it said the department had since clarified that a "review" on face masks was taking place. In the meantime, it  said schools could use Covid-19 capitation funding to provide these higher grade masks to staff who wish to wear them.

Hospital Report

The INTO said it encourged any member who wished to use these masks should request them  from their boards of managment.

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The Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) said medical grade masks are "essential".

It said they would not be available in time for school reopening this week and that many classrooms were still in “dire need” of Hepa air filters to assist with air quality.

The INTO also said it has been informed that more student teachers will be made available to undertake paid substitute work during the next two months at least.

It said such arrangements proved crucial in recent weeks by enabling more schools to remain open when it might otherwise not have been possible. Schools have been facing staff shortages amid rising Covid cases.

The latest measures were announced following meetings with Minister for Education Norma Foley, public health representatives, teachers' unions and school managers on Tuesday afternoon about school reopening following the Christmas break.

Primary and secondary schools are due to reopen on Thursday, January 6th, after officials advised that there was “no public health rationale” in keeping them closed beyond this week.

In a statement, the department said that following a review of risk mitigation measures in schools, public health officials had advised that current safety measures were “effective and appropriate”.

Potential closures

Teachers’ unions said they will follow public health advice but warned of potential school closures due to staff shortages linked to the spread of the new, more transmissible Omicron variant.

The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) said it will continue to push for schools to be given flexibility on how they reopen based on their particular circumstances.

“The TUI also made clear that given the significant concern around the Omicron variant, the operation of schools must be kept under constant review,” a union spokesman said.

The INTO said it had been advised that school inspectors will be made available to help schools who cannot access substitution cover to make decisions regarding how best to give priority to children with additional needs, while other classes “may have to return to remote learning from time to time”.

Sources present at the talks on Tuesday said the public health advice was that there was no benefit in closing schools given the level of virus circulating in the wider community.

“The virus is everywhere. Households are the biggest drivers of infection, so closing schools is not being advised, especially given the impact this would have on more vulnerable children,” said one source.

“The advice remains that schools are not significant drivers of transmission. They have played a very important role in terms of prevention and control measures.”

Response plans

In a statement, the Department of Education said schools will operate in line with their Covid-19 response plans, which set out a range of mitigation measures for schools.

“They include hand hygiene, mask-wearing, and social distancing. Schools have also been provided with guidance on maintaining good ventilation,” according to the department statement on Tuesday.

It said guidance for parents and students on ensuring symptomatic students and household close contacts should not attend school is being issued through a communications campaign as well as directly through schools.

“Further to today’s meetings, clarifications and further information will issue to schools from public health and the department tomorrow in advance of schools reopening,” the department added.