According to RTE, Minister for Education Joe McHugh has confirmed that schools will not be reopening in the short term. 

RTE reports that the Minister was speaking on GalwayBay FM when he said that schools will not be opening immediately after 29 March and there should be confirmation today or tomorrow of the extension of the school closures.

Speaking about State exams, he said that he and his department "really want to make those exams happen".
He said they owed it to young people to "see this through and try to have the exams this year".
He said by that he meant "the dates that are defined for this year". He said his department was working towards this

Source


Updated - statement below from Minister 24th March 2020 confirming schools wil remain closed until 19th April 2020

All schools, pre-schools and further and higher education settings will remain closed to students until 19 April 2020.

The decision has been taken following advice from the NPHET (National Public Health Emergency Team) as part of efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19.

All young people and children are urged to practice social distancing, and to minimise physical contact to keep themselves and others healthy and to limit the spread of infection. This should include minimising social contact, avoiding meeting up and keeping physical space of two metres between each other. Parents and guardians are urged to support young people and children to follow those simple guidelines.

Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh TD said: “This is an extremely difficult time for everyone, not least students and their parents.

“The decision to keep schools closed until after the Easter break is based on public health advice. It is a hugely important aspect of our continued effort to limit the spread of Covid-19.
“My message to students facing exams is that they should keep focused, keep working and try, as much as possible, to prepare as normal for the state exams. We are doing everything in our power to make sure those exams happen.

“Teachers and students have answered the call to remote learning with exceptional flexibility and adaptability. You are all a credit to the education system.

“I am also deeply conscious of significant work being done to ensure continuity of learning across our higher and further education institutions. The impact of emergency measures has not stopped education, it has inspired innovation and we are indebted to all those continuing to provide education in these trying times.”





... click to read full post & comments

Leaving Cert & Junior Cert Oral exams cancelled

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 19/03/2020.
Tags: Parenting Teachers

Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh TD has today (Thursday 19 March 2020) announced the cancellation of oral and practical performance ... click to read full post & comments

Schools to close from today until 29th March

Posted by on 12/03/2020.
Tags: Parenting Teachers

The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has announced that the country's schools, colleges and childcare facilities are to close ... click to read full post & comments(2)

Coronavirus - No decision to close schools at this point

Posted by Schooldays Newhound, on 10/03/2020.
Tags: Parenting Teachers

Covid-19 – Statement from the Department of Education and Skills - 10th March 2020

The Department of Education and Skills is liaising closely with the Department of Health on a continuing basis.

Any decision to close schools will be made on public health advice. There is ... click to read full post & comments

Young Social Innovators Calls on Young People

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 02/03/2020.
Tags: Teachers Education And Politics

More than 6,000 young people to take part in national Speak Out Tour and bring creative solutions to urgent social issues

Building a nationwide movement of creative, caring and engaged citizens among Ireland’s young people ... click to read full post & comments

Secondary School to close for 14 days due to Coronovirus link

Posted by SchoolDays Newshound, on 01/03/2020.
Tags: Parenting Teachers

RTE is reporting this evening that a secondary school in the East of the country is to close for 14 days ... click to read full post & comments

Revised Guidelines for Schools on Coronavirus

Posted by SchooldDays Newshound on 26/02/2020.
Tags: Parenting Teachers

Updated 1/3/2020 - Secondary school to close for 14 day incubation period - read more HERE.

Read updated article 28th February HERE



The Department of Education and Skills has updated information for schools, preschools and third level institutions on ... click to read full post & comments

Most Borrowed Books of 2019 Revealed

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 24/02/2020.
Tags: Parenting Teachers

Details of the 20 books and authors borrowed most often from Irish public libraries in 2019 ... click to read full post & comments

New programme launched for Safer Internet Day 2020

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 11/02/2020.
Tags: Teachers Education And Politics

Webwise launches free resource to support digital literacy in schools

Supporting young people to use the internet in a positive way is an integral part of empowering them to become ... click to read full post & comments

Fewer than one in 250 girls cycle to school each day!

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 29/01/2020.
Tags: Teachers Parenting

In Ireland, fewer than one in 250 girls cycle to school each day.

Why are young women avoiding the bike as a means of transport? Research undertaken by ... click to read full post & comments

ASTI Ballot Over Unequal Pay

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 27/01/2020.
Tags: Teachers Education And Politics

The ASTI Central Executive Council has voted to ballot the union’s 17,000-plus members on industrial action over the unequal pay of teachers who entered the profession since 2010.

The ASTI took industrial action, including strike action, over unequal pay in 2016. ... click to read full post & comments(1)

FÓRSA decides to defer industrial action

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 21/01/2020.
Tags: Teachers Education And Politics

Statement by Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh TD:

“I welcome the decision by the FÓRSA trade union to defer strike action and to re-enter ... click to read full post & comments

Secondary School Strike Action 4th February

Posted by SchoolDays Newshound, on 17/01/2020.
Tags: Teachers

Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) members will take strike action on Tuesday, 4th February over the ... click to read full post & comments

New School Rules on Admissions

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 16/01/2020.
Tags: Teachers Parenting

The Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh T.D has today (Wednesday 15th January 2020) announced new rules are coming into effect at the start of February in relation to admission to schools.

The Minister has signed a Commencement Order in respect ... click to read full post & comments(2)

€50m in ICT Grant Funding for Schools

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 13/01/2020.
Tags: Teachers Education And Politics

Minister announces fourth year of funding under Project Ireland 2040 which takes total spend on Digital Strategy for Schools ICT Infrastructure Fund to €160m

All schools will receive grants to purchase key technology such as tablets, ... click to read full post & comments(2)

More students to be educated through Irish

Posted by SchoolDays Newshound, on 31/12/2019.
Tags: Education And Politics Teachers Parenting

Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh T.D. has announced plans for the development of the first, comprehensive Irish-medium ... click to read full post & comments

New primary school for Rathcoole

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 20/12/2019.
Tags: Teachers Education And Politics

Patronage survey for four other new primary schools to be established in 2020 extended ... click to read full post & comments

HEA call to support teachers to upskill in subjects

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 20/12/2019.
Tags: Teachers Education And Politics

HEA issues call to higher education institutions to develop courses for existing teachers to qualify to teach ... click to read full post & comments

Patronage of six new post-primary schools

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 17/12/2019.
Tags: Teachers Parenting

The Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh T.D. today announced the patronage of ... click to read full post & comments

Ministers Announce 3,000 New Student Places

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 16/12/2019.
Tags: Teachers Education And Politics

€24 million Government funding under new Human Capital Initiative creates additional ... click to read full post & comments

Review of Relationships and Sexuality Education

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 12/12/2019.
Tags: Parenting Teachers

Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh T.D. and Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor T.D. today ... click to read full post & comments

Thomond wins €10,000 for STEM Education

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 10/12/2019.
Tags: Teachers Education And Politics

BD RCI awards €24,000 in educational funding to secondary schools across ... click to read full post & comments(1)

Christian Brothers Redress Contribution Completed

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 09/12/2019.
Tags: Teachers Education And Politics

The Department of Education and Skills has today (Monday 9th December) confirmed ... click to read full post & comments

36 Regional Officers elected to ISSU

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 05/12/2019.
Tags: Teachers Education And Politics

From the 15th of October to the 29th of November the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU) hosted, ... click to read full post & comments

ASTI to issue directive on SLAR meetings

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 04/12/2019.
Tags: Teachers Education And Politics

ASTI members have voted to authorise the ASTI to issue a directive on the scheduling of Subject Learning and ... click to read full post & comments

Our Voices Our Schools Online Resource

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 04/12/2019.
Tags: Teachers Education And Politics

Following two years of work, the Comhairle na nÓg National Executive today launched their toolkit Our Voices Our Schools at Collins Barracks.

Our Voices Our Schools was created as a result of young people around the ... click to read full post & comments

Feeder Schools Lists published for 2019

Posted by SchoolDays Newshound, on 03/12/2019.
Tags: Parenting Teachers

The college progression data or information on ‘feeder schools’ to third level for autumn 2019 is available today on Schooldays.ie providing school-by-school information on which students have progressed to which colleges this year.

To view the information on your school for the last ten years on Schooldays.ie, visit ... click to read full post & comments

Ireland's 15 year olds among best in reading literacy

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 03/12/2019.
Tags: Education And Politics Parenting Teachers

The Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh TD today (Tuesday 3 December 2019) welcomed the 2018 OECD PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) results which show Ireland’s 15 year-olds are among the best in - ... click to read full post & comments

‘Know the Score’ launched by Ministers

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 27/11/2019.
Tags: Teachers Parenting

Minister for Health Simon Harris TD, Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh TD and Minister of State for Health Promotion ... click to read full post & comments

Traveller Participation in Higher Education

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 26/11/2019.
Tags: Teachers Parenting

Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor T.D. today, on World Access to Higher Education Day, launched the Action Plan to Promote Traveller Participation in Higher Education. The Minister was joined at the launch, held in TU Dublin, by several third level students and recent graduates ... click to read full post & comments

€30 million Investment in 405 Schools

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 25/11/2019.
Tags: Teachers Education And Politics

New Climate Action focus for Summer Works Scheme

The Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh T.D. has today (Monday 25 November 2019) announced a €30million package for 405 schools ... click to read full post & comments

What Works Initiative announced

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 22/11/2019.
Tags: Teachers Education And Politics

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr Katherine Zappone TD, is pleased to announce funding of €1,514,000 under the What Works initiative to support the ... click to read full post & comments

Applications for Patronage of 4 New Primary Schools

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 20/11/2019.
Tags: Teachers Education And Politics

The Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh T.D. has today invited school patron bodies/prospective school patron bodies to apply for the patronage of new primary schools to be established in September 2020.

Today’s invitation follows on from the announcement on ... click to read full post & comments

Minister meets Volunteers in Apple Schools Project

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 18/11/2019.
Tags: Teachers Education And Politics

The Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh T.D. today visited the recently expanded Apple campus in Cork and observed the ongoing work of the Apple school engagement programme which ... click to read full post & comments

South Dublin Schools Urged to Provide more Places for Special Needs

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 15/11/2019.
Tags: Parenting Teachers

The Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh T.D. has today urged principals, boards of management and patrons across south Dublin to offer to increase places for children with special needs.

The Minister made the call as he ... click to read full post & comments

Grants of €29 Million for Primary Schools

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 12/11/2019.
Tags: Teachers Education And Politics

The Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh T.D. has today announced €29 million in grants for primary schools for Minor Works.

The money will be paid to all primary schools in the first half of ... click to read full post & comments

Students Want Overhaul to Leaving Cert

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 07/11/2019.
Tags: Parenting Teachers

New ESRI research shows a strong appetite among students, parents and teachers for changing senior cycle education, which incorporates Transition Year, 5th Year and 6th Year. A study presenting their viewpoints shows that ... click to read full post & comments

tess Launches Every School Day Counts

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 05/11/2019.
Tags: Parenting Teachers

Tusla Education Support Service or tess is launching its first national, School Attendance Drive ‘Every School Day Counts’ to promote regular school attendance.

Each school ... click to read full post & comments(1)

Publication of Regional Enrolment Projections

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 29/10/2019.
Tags: Teachers Education And Politics

Pupil numbers in primary schools in Dublin are projected to fall by 28% by 2036 while those in the Mid-East will fall by just 12.7%.

The Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh T.D. has today (Monday 28th October 2019) welcomed the publication of a new statistical report which ... click to read full post & comments(1)

Minister Hosts First Cross-Border Schools Initiative

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 23/10/2019.
Tags: Teachers Education And Politics

An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar T.D. welcomes initiative to bring up to 60 students from four schools, north and south, to an event at the Clock Tower in the ... click to read full post & comments

AbbVie's Back to School for STEM Programme launched

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 21/10/2019.
Tags: Teachers Education And Politics

Minister for Education and Skills, Joe McHugh TD, joined students and representatives of the global biopharmaceutical company AbbVie at a special educational event at St Naul’s National School in ... click to read full post & comments(1)

Better Off Students Still More Likely to Go to College

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 21/10/2019.
Tags: Teachers Education And Politics

Those from Better Off Financial Backgrounds Still More Likely to Go to College

Progress has been made in delivering on the national priority of increasing access to ... click to read full post & comments(1)

DCU Study on how to Improve Children’s Poor Sleep Habits

Posted by Schooldays Newshound, on 14/10/2019.
Tags: Parenting Teachers

A Dublin City University study shows a notable improvement in children’s sleep behaviours by implementing a short school and home-based programme.

The link between inadequate sleep levels in children and poor engagement with school is ... click to read full post & comments