Mid-term break won’t be extended, says taoiseach

The Government has firmly ruled out any extension of the mid-term school recess.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that the reopening of the schools has shown what can be done with collective effort and adherence to safety guidelines and sensible measures.

“As a result, the mental, educational and physical well-being of our nation’s children has been protected and enhanced.

“Keeping our schools open remains a key government priority – ensuring our youth’s life chances are not impaired,” Martin said in a statement released this afternoon.

State Minister for Skills and Higher Education Niall Collins has also moved to “bang on the head” any possibility of a longer-than-usual hiatus later this month.

It was reported that children could get a two-week break from school along with other Covid-19 restrictions.

However, Mr. Collins said that “there are absolutely no plans to close our school beyond the traditional week-long break around Halloween.

“This idea that schools will close around the midterm recess, I just want to hit it on the head. Keeping schools open is a high priority of this government,” he said.

The possibility of keeping children at home to limit the amount of travel overall during a brief crash shutdown had been raised as the number of confirmed Covid cases continued to rise.

But Mr. Collins said: “It was a stated priority, and a priority given by the government, to reopen our schools successfully. One million pupils and students and children went back to school and college successfully. A lot of money was invested so much in our elementary as well as our high school and our third level of colleges, and it is a top priority.

“I do not think that the parents of the children and the children themselves would appreciate us if we closed the schools and all the public health councils, which are available, clearly show that schools are not a problem in terms of Covid transmission,” he added. told RTÉ The Week in Politics.

Collins also confirmed that Tuesday’s budget will include changes to the pandemic unemployment payment (PUPPY).

The Limerick TD said the government has a number of key priorities, including supporting vulnerable people during the pandemic, building hospital capacity, investing in capital infrastructure projects and supporting businesses.