Education Minister Joe McHugh is 'speaking out of two sides of his mouth' when it comes to school reopening plans, according to the head of one of the country's largest teaching unions.
ASTI President Deirdre Mac Donald says teachers will not accept a reopening regime that sees teachers following social distancing rules that are different to the rest of society.
It comes after it emerged yesterday shows the current two-metre rule would mean primary school students only attending class one day a week, and secondary students twice a week.
Minister McHugh said that would be a 'non-runner', and that the Department's now planning for a full return to school.
Ms. MacDonald says that teachers were surprised by yesterday's announcements.
She suggested people learned about 'an ambition' yesterday, but not about how to achieve it.
She observed: “We know the aim is to open schools up fully - we would love to go back where we left off in March, but that’s not possible. Unless they have advice from NPHET that we’re not party to… but we know exactly the same as the general public in terms of public health advice, so that’s the parameters we are working within.
According to Ms. Mac Donald, no social distancing in schools would be "fine" if that's what health officials recommend.
However, she stressed that the union will not be satisfied with a "differentiated social distancing for our members than the rest of a societal norm".
She also noted that good hygiene measures and a hand-washing regime would have to be part of a wider 'suite of measures' for returning teachers and students.
