According to the Department of Education, the choice to postpone the reopening of schools on Monday following the Christmas holidays will continue to be up to the individual school management authority, who will need to weigh a variety of considerations, reports RTE.
A Department of Education official stated in a statement this afternoon that the agency is closely observing weather developments and interacting with important stakeholders.
“A decision on whether to remain closed or to delay school reopening times is a matter for individual school management authorities around the country in light of local weather conditions, taking into consideration the full guidance and direction available from the principal response agencies,” reports RTE.
“Any decision to close is taken in the interest of child safety, having assessed the local risks and having consulted, as appropriate, relevant authorities. The ‘Be Winter Ready’ website includes advice for schools on dealing with issues related to weather conditions, including colour-coded warnings and health and safety and direct links to relevant circulars. Areas for consideration include maintenance of premises and utilities, salting and gritting and transport to and from school and having regard to local conditions,” reports RTE.
The spokesman went on to say that the Department of Education website had guidance for schools.
Paul Crone, the director of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals, stated that if it is safe to do so, all schools will operate during the cold snap; however, each school’s board will decide this locally.
“They will endeavour to communicate that decision as early as possible to parents, so every principal will be on the Met Éireann site over the weekend hitting the refresh button regularly to see what the status warning will be,” Mr Crone said, reports RTE.
He stated that the majority of schools have a winter-ready strategy in place when appearing on RTÉ’s Today with Colm Ó Móngain.
“They would have a procedure in place where somebody living locally, usually the caretaker would go in, in advance just to make sure that the building and the environment of the school is safe … the heating is working, the electricity is working and that it is safe to bring people into the school building,” reports RTE.
The school would simply take into account whether it is safe for people to commute from their houses to school, he continued.
He did, however, add that most schools are prepared for remote learning in case they must close for a few days because of the epidemic, reports RTE.
It comes as the Road Safety Authority issued a warning to drivers to get ready for the impending cold snap.
Aoibhinn Twomey, the RSA Communications Officer, advised drivers to keep a de-icer and a screen scraper handy and to inspect their tires, spare wheel and windscreen washer system, reports RTE.
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