The Department of Education says teachers will not have to be vaccinated when schools reopen at the end of this month.
It was also confirmed that teachers will not have to divulge their vaccine status to be allowed back into classrooms.
It comes as the Education Minister, Norma Foley, is set to issue advice to schools next week on the rules they'll have to follow as part of the reopening.
The president of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland, Eamon Dennehy, says while they cannot enforce vaccinations, they certainly support their use:
"They have the right not to [be vaccinated] I suppose, certainly the ASTI has always supported vaccinations as a method of preventing this terrible virus spreading, and causing the kind of havoc it can do. We're in favour of vaccinations in a big way and very pleased with the roll-out."
Schools are set to receive portable CO2 monitors from the Department of Education. These are expected to give schools a “useful general indication” of areas or rooms that may not be adequately ventilated.
Schools will also continue to operate the current infection prevention and control measures used last year, when they reopen in the new term.
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, Sinn Fein's education spokesperson, says the real issue is in equipping schools with proper facilities:
"Ventilation is absolutely crucial. In principal at least this has been agreed to but we need the investment now and schools need to know how that's going to be delivered, but also I am hearing from schools who still don't know what their cleaning budget will be and that is absolutely crucial."
