Mayo TD claims department is in denial over Covid problems in schools

A Mayo TD has claimed the Department of Education is not taking responsibility for Covid-related issues occurring within schools.

Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh quoted from a letter she received from a primary school special needs assistant to support her assertion.

The letter outlined: "Since we returned to school there has been none of the mass testing promised.

"We've been given a mask and told it is all perfectly safe.

"We've had an outbreak of Covid in our school since last week.

"I spent two 20-minute breaks sitting at a table with a staff member who tested positive for Covid one day later but, according to the HSE, I'm not a close contact.

"On a Thursday a staff member in the unit presented with Covid symptoms and asked to be tested.

"The HSE told her as she was not a close contact, she did not need testing.

"She organised a test privately and it came back positive so that unit was shut down."

Reacting to the letter, Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh claimed the Minister for Education will not take any responsibility for what is happening within schools.

She elaborated: "We desperately want them to remain open.

"But I am asking for some honesty, some transparency and some action within the schools to keep the numbers down, to keep the schools open and to keep high-risk staff and students safe.

"Denial of the problems that exist is not going to deal with them."