[ad_1]
The Cabinet has agreed that the Level 5 restrictions will run until April 5.
There will be no major lifting of restrictions before that date, aside from the reopening of the school and childcare from March 1, under the new plan to be announced later this afternoon.
Ministers gathered in government buildings this morning to approve the government’s revised Living with Covid plan.
The Cabinet also agreed on a new timetable for the reopening of schools.
On March 1, the junior and senior infants will return, as well as the first and second class in elementary school. In high school, Leaving Certificate classes will also return on March 1st.
Childcare will also resume in stages beginning with the state’s Early Childhood Education and Care (ECCE) preschool program on March 8.
The next date in the plan is March 15 when the rest of the elementary classes will return. In high school, fifth graders will also return on March 15.
After the Easter break on April 12, all high school students falling below grade five will return with a full return to education planned.
Although these dates have already been agreed upon by the Cabinet, sources have said that continuous reviews of the public health situation will be carried out during this period, which means that there is a caveat in the plans.
The Cabinet has also approved plans to extend social assistance supports for the Covid-19 pandemic, such as the Pandemic Unemployment Payment, until the end of June.
Changes to the vaccination schedule, introduced by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, will mean that people with certain chronic conditions will be offered vaccinations earlier.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin will give a live address to the nation after 6 pm, which will be followed by a press conference. Mr. Martin’s address can be seen on RTÉ’s Six-One news program and can be blogged live at Irishtimes.com.
The Labor Party said that if it weren’t for the pandemic, it would consider a vote of no-confidence on Education Minister Norma Foley.
“If it weren’t for the pandemic, we would probably be moving out of distrust territory. The way the department has treated the education sector has gone beyond disrespect, it is in the category of insults, ”education spokesman Aodhan O Riordain said tonight.
He condemned the recent confusion over the schedule for going back to school and said the Department of Education was not yet clear on how it would treat or evaluate certified dropouts, who are due to return next week.
He said the Labor Party welcomes the reopening of schools, “but it must be done safely.”
However, he said that the reopening of schools without mandatory quarantine for all who enter the country is “doomed to fail.”
When asked if the schools should go back faster than the government’s plan, Mr O Riordain said: “I don’t know if they can go back faster. I don’t know if it’s safe. “
“I have to trust the department. . . he knows what he is doing, based on the advice he has received from Nphet and the teachers’ unions. “
He doesn’t think the Easter week school holidays should be shortened, he said.
Despite hopes that certain social and economic activities may face some limited relaxations, sources said Monday night that high levels of illness and the priority of resuming education would likely limit the room for maneuver elsewhere.
The government is likely to backtrack on plans to allow some relaxation of outdoor restrictions, including non-contact training and socially distanced gatherings.
Until last week, ministers were actively discussing the limited resumption of such activity in early April, but despite strong arguments in favor of people’s mental health, the high number of cases and pressure on hospitals led to the measure being scrapped, and it is unlikely to be considered until after Easter.
Other restrictions on nonessential retail trade and the 5km exercise limit will remain.
More to follow
[ad_2]