‘Teachers work in the here and now. Schools operate in the here and now. If they are to re-open on a sustainable basis, they need support in the here and now.’
The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) has said it is completely unacceptable that the Department of Education is delaying a decision on the standard of masks to be used in schools until a review is completed.
The union has said that throughout the pandemic, the Department’s delays in providing and enhancing safeguards have greatly added to stress in school communities.
Speaking today, TUI General Secretary Michael Gillespie said:
‘Throughout the pandemic, delay by the Department in providing resources and enhancing mitigation measures has been a constant source of frustration and stress.’
‘With school communities returning to an unprecedentedly challenging environment, it is critical that classrooms be kept as safe as they can possibly be. It therefore beggars belief and is completely unacceptable that teachers will have to wait for a review on the provision of medical grade FFP2 masks. The TUI has consistently demanded provision of these for a considerable period of time. School staff, including Principals, are already overloaded with the various additional workload burdens of COVID-19 and should not be expected to source masks themselves. With the prevalence of the virus so high, these must be purchased centrally and provided to schools as a matter of urgency.’
‘Once again, we also reiterate that urgent action is needed on the provision of HEPA filters. We are hearing that many schools are struggling to source these locally and in some cases, especially in the ETB sector, have encountered administration and procurement obstacles. Again, the Department must immediately step up and ensure that these are available to schools.’
‘Too often, the Department has failed to act in a timely manner. For example, TUI first called for CO2 monitors in November 2020, but these were only provided at the start of the following school year, and even then the rollout was inconsistent and delayed.’
‘Teachers work in the here and now. Schools operate in the here and now. If they are to re-open on a sustainable basis, they need support in the here and now. A promise of appropriate masks, HEPA filters, additional CO2 monitors and mechanical ventilation systems in the future does not protect our schools, staff and students against COVID-19 today. The Department must take a reality check, ditch delay, demonstrate urgency and immediately approve the necessary supports.