The Minister for Education, Norma Foley, has said schools will not close early for Christmas nor will they reopen later after Christmas as there is no evidence or recommendation from public health authorities to do so.
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One Minister Foley said strict following of public health advice "has served us well" since schools reopen, as she cited the lower Covid-19 positivity rate of 3% in schools, compared to the 10-12% positivity rate in the wider community.
She said schools, by being a controlled environment, "by their nature are safe environments". "Following public health advice has served us very well in the school sector.