Paul Murphy warns schools unsafe after forced reopening
On 20 Oct 2021 Paul Murphy criticised government COVID policy in schools, arguing that decisions to press schools to reopen put pupils, families and staff at risk. He cited the closure of CBS Primary School in Wexford after more than 10% of pupils had COVID and demanded renewed contact tracing and investment in ventilation and air filtration.
School closure in Wexford
He paid tribute to Vicky Barron, principal of CBS Primary School in Wexford Town, who closed the school when over 10% of pupils had COVID. Murphy said the HSE had said it was not a school outbreak and questioned how infections could arise other than in the community, while alleging the Department had pressured the school to reopen by instructing a return to face-to-face learning with immediate effect.
Calls for contact tracing and ventilation
Murphy urged the government to heed calls from the INTO and others to restart and expand contact tracing and to invest in ventilation and air filtration, including HEPA filters and CO2 monitors. He criticised what he described as the decision to stop contact tracing and said the Department had not provided HEPA filters and lacked CO2 monitoring in every classroom.
Government and public health response
A parliamentary reply rejected Murphy's claim that the government had been "incredibly reckless" on schools, saying public health advice has guided the Minister for Education's decisions. The ministerial response argued that outbreaks also occur in communities, that public health advice informed contact tracing policy, and that public health authorities have engaged with unions; it also stated that CO2 monitors had been provided in schools.
Impact on pupils, staff and unions
Both speakers framed their positions around the safety and development of children and the protection of teachers, SNAs and school staff. Murphy emphasised the danger to pupils and families from premature reopening, while the minister emphasised the importance of keeping schools open for children's education subject to public health advice.
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The government policy of hear no evil, see no evil in the schools is now unfortunately coming to fruition. I want to pay tribute to Vicky Barron, the principal of CBS Primary School in Wexford Town. They made the decision to close the school in the context whereby over 10% of their pupils had COVID. She made a point on the radio very appropriately that the HSE say this is not a school outbreak, but then what is it? It did not come out of the walls. But incredibly, the school has now been pressurised by the department to reopen. They have sent a letter to parents saying we have been instructed to return to face-to-face learning with immediate effect. The consequence of that is to place pupils, families and staff in danger. The government has been incredibly reckless on the question of schools, no HEPA filters, not one in the entire country, I think, provided by the department, not a CO2 monitor in every classroom, and then the terrible decision to stop contact tracing. So will you now heed the calls from the INTO and others to restart and expand contact tracing, to invest in ventilation and to invest in air filtration? Now, in terms of Deputy Murphy's question, I just have to reject very strongly his assertions that government has been, to quote, incredibly reckless re-schools. I mean, you are the person who wanted zero COVID. You are the person who swore by public health advice. It's public health advice that the Minister for Education has been following consistently in respect of schools, yet you just ignore it there in your contribution. And you sort of say HSE and government. It's public health advice that has informed the contact tracing decision. And public health advice will inform how each outbreak is dealt with. And when you say, for example, if it's not a school outbreak, what is it? Outbreaks happen in communities too. And if the public health advice are giving advice to principals, I can't second guess it. Neither should you second guess it, because you're not an expert in public health deputy. And you shouldn't pretend to be through the chair. And I think that's unwarranted to make the kind of comments that we hear no evil and we see no evil. Our fundamental objective through the chair has always been to get schools back because it's good for children. It's very important for the development of the child that the child is in school with their friends and learning and that we can provide for their emotional and intellectual development, all aspects of the child's development. And that's best, in my view, provided in school. And we're taking every step we can, subject to public health advice, to make sure that that happens. And that is, you know, something we take very, very seriously. And the public health authorities have engaged with the unions at different times in the pandemic over issues that union representatives have raised in respect of the pandemic and its impact on schools and on teachers, SNAs and all staff who work in our schools. And that will remain the case. The Minister of Education has been absolutely adamant that she will abide by public health advice in respect of the pandemic and in respect of the protection of children, teachers and all the staff in education. The Minister has also got advice in relation to ventilation. And the recommendation the Minister got was to provide CO2 monitors in schools across the country. And that has happened. And those CO2 monitors have been provided by the Minister. Thank you.
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