A Clare INTO representative insists the safety of children must be paramount in any decision to re-open schools.
The planned re-opening of schools and classes tomorrow has been put on hold after teachers and SNA’s rejected the move over safety concerns.
It comes as the Higher Education Minister has expressed hope that a roadmap for the Leaving Cert will be outlined in the coming weeks.
Efforts to re-open schools and classes for children with special needs fell through last night, after unions rejected proposals on safety grounds.
The INTO and Forsa had earlier called on the Education Minister to postpone the re-opening tomorrow, saying efforts to reassure staff that schools are safe had failed.
But the Education Minister says her Department has met all the teachers unions requests, that unions’ said they would act and accept the public health advice given to them, but they didn’t.
Norma Foley says these children have to be looked after.
A Clare INTO representative has criticised the Government for failing to present an adequate plan for re-opening this week.
Brendan Horan says teachers across Clare have raised concerns about their safety and the safety of children, due to the extremely high rates of transmission in the community.
He believes public health advice given prior to Christmas is now out of date, due to the escalating numbers contracting the virus since then.
Brendan Horan says the Government failed to provide an adequate plan to ensure the ongoing safety of children and teachers, which he insists must be paramount.
Yesterday in the Seanad, Clare’s Fine Gael Senator Martin Conway said the handling of the entire situation is “nothing short of disgraceful” but now some are shifting their focus to what happens next, and finding an agreement to allow schools re-open.
Former President of the INTO and Corofin Fianna Fáil Councillor Joe Killeen is sure all sides are close to agreement, but feels they need to work together.
