The Minister for Further and Higher Education has said the decision to not proceed with phase 4 of reopening the country increases the ability to ensure that children return to education in September.
Simon Harris said he believes it would have been grossly irresponsible to ignore public health advice and move forward with phase 4 in spite of "knowing that we have a huge body of work to do as a country to get our kids back to school and to get our learners and third level student back as well".
Speaking at the publication of a strategy for further education and training Minister Harris said it was down to "every single one of us now as citizens to give our children the very best chance now by keeping the virus as low as possible".