On 21 March, State broadcaster
Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) announced that it would begin showing "school" live on the television programme Home School Hub.[5] The broadcasts began on Monday 30 March, aimed at children attending 1st–6th class of primary school (i.e. roughly 6–12 years of age).[6]
On 24 March,
Minister for EducationJoe McHugh confirmed that schools would not be reopening on 30 March as had been the official deadline until then.[7][8]
On 2 April, the
Department of Education deferred the introduction of its "School Inclusion Model" for the allocation of
Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) in schools that had been scheduled for September 2020, citing cancellations of meetings due to COVID-19 and the absence of therapists called to assist the
Health Service Executive (HSE) in its battle against the pandemic.[9] Also on 2 April, RTÉ announced it would—on weekend mornings—televise those plays of
William Shakespeare on the Junior and Leaving Certificate
syllabi to cater for English students at secondary school who had been prevented from attending a live theatre performance ahead of their exam.[10]
Headfort School in
Kells, County Meath, the country's only private boarding school for children receiving primary education, was forced to shut due to debts worsened by the pandemic.[11][12]
With the virus affecting pupils transitioning from
secondary education, Beech Hill College in
County Monaghan held a drive-in ceremony to bid farewell to its departing pupils.[13]
A €376 million support package and roadmap on how to reopen all schools in Ireland was announced on 27 July which include additional teachers and
special needs assistants, personal protective equipment and stepped-up cleaning regimes.[15][16]
On 7 August, updated guidelines was published by the
Department of Education, which stated that all teachers in both primary and secondary schools and students in secondary school would be required to wear
face coverings when a physical distance of two metres could not be maintained.[17]
On 9 October, the
Department of Education announced that no decision had been made in relation to extending school closures over the
mid-term break by one week, following a report from the Irish Independent which stated that the mid-term break for schools was expected to be extended.[18][19]
On 17 December,
Minister for EducationNorma Foley announced that schools would not close early for Christmas—nor would they reopen later than planned after Christmas—as there was no evidence or recommendation from public health authorities to do so.[21][22]
However, all schools remained closed after the
Christmas break, following the government's announcement to move the entire country to full
Level 5 lockdown restrictions.[23][24]
2021
On 6 January 2021, the Government agreed to postpone the reopening of all schools until February 2021 with
Leaving Certificate students allowed to attend school for three days a week.[25] One day after the announcement, the Government was forced to abandon plans for Leaving Certificate students to attend school on three days a week, and instead students would return to
homeschooling along with other students until February, after the
Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI) directed its members not to return to in-school teaching.[26]
On 19 January, the Government was forced to abandon plans to reopen special schools on Thursday 21 January for thousands of children with special educational needs following safety concerns among staff unions.[27]
On 26 January, talks between the
Department of Education and unions continued with hopes that schools would be able to reopen on a phased basis between February and March.[29]
On 1 February, the
Department of Education agreed to reopen special schools with 50% capacity on Thursday 11 February and special classes in mainstream schools on Monday 22 February.[30]
On 10 February, details of a return to in-school teaching and learning for students attending special classes in secondary schools from Monday 22 February was announced, after a deal was agreed between teacher and SNA trade unions and the Department of Education.[31]
Junior and senior infants, 1st and 2nd class to return to school
Leaving Certificate classes to return to school
8 March
Resumption of the ECCE programme and return to school of ECCE-age children
15 March
3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th class return to school
5th years to return to school
29 March
Early learning and care, and school-age childcare services to reopen
12 April
1st to 4th years return to school
On 26 July 2021,
Minister for EducationNorma Foley stated that she was confident that a full reopening of schools from late August and early September would go ahead as planned.[34]
On 25 August, a row over the return to school of teachers in early stages of pregnancy intensified after the
three teacher unions condemned the Minister for Education and the
Department of Education for the "failure to provide alternative time-bound working arrangements for teachers who have been ineligible to receive vaccines."[35]
2022
On 4 January 2022, after meeting with public health officials and education stakeholders,
Minister for EducationNorma Foley confirmed that schools would reopen as planned on 6 January, despite
record-breaking COVID-19 cases being reported over the Christmas period.[36] HSE Chief Clinical Officer
Dr Colm Henry said there was no public health rationale to delaying reopening of schools.[37]
On 24 February, schools were told by the
Department of Education that they could resume normal routines and normal teaching and learning activities from Monday 28 February, with social distancing and the wearing of masks no longer required.[38]
Confirmed cases
On 1 September 2020, the first day of reopening schools, a primary school class in Dublin was sent home after one pupil tested positive for COVID-19.[39] On 2 September, a second primary school class in Dublin was sent home after a number of pupils tested positive for COVID-19.[40] Also on 2 September, a primary school in
County Clare closed for one week after a number of staff members were identified as close contacts of a case of COVID-19.[41] On 3 September, one primary school and one secondary school in
County Kerry sent a number of students home after students tested positive for COVID-19.[42]
On 8 October, a secondary school in
Longford announced its closure due to a confirmed case of COVID-19.[49][50]
On 25 November, all staff and students at a
Gaelscoil primary school in
Glanmire,
County Cork began restricting their movements until 8 December, after 17 cases of COVID-19 was confirmed there, resulting in the closure of the school.[51]
On 11 December, two primary schools in
Laois and
Mayo closed early for the Christmas holidays due to an increase in COVID-19 cases among students.[52][53]
On 16 December, all pupils at a primary school in
Killorglin,
County Kerry began to restrict their movements after 17 people tested positive for COVID-19.[54][55][56]
On 1 March 2021, following another period of remote learning, a school in north Dublin confirmed a case of COVID-19 as parents received an urgent letter from the school.[57][58] A secondary school in
Cork confirmed a case of COVID-19 while a south Dublin school announced its closure due to a confirmed case of COVID-19 just one day after schools reopened.[59][60]
On 22 March, a primary school in
Carrick-on-Suir,
County Tipperary closed after two positive cases of COVID-19 were confirmed.[61][62] On the next day on 23 March, six classes were sent home from a primary school in
County Longford after five cases of COVID-19 were confirmed,[63] and a class was sent home following an outbreak of COVID-19 at a primary school in Dublin.[64] On 26 March, a number of students were asked to stay at home after multiple cases of COVID-19 were confirmed at a secondary school in
Limerick.[65]
On 2 April, a COVID-19 outbreak of 15 cases was confirmed in a special school in
Clontarf, Dublin.[66]
On 23 April, a COVID-19 outbreak resulted in all Leaving Certificate students being sent home from a secondary school in
Letterkenny,
County Donegal.[67]
On 27 April, a primary school in
County Offaly closed following confirmation of 23 cases of COVID-19.[68]
On 19 June, a primary school in County Offaly confirmed a suspected case of the
Delta variant with the children told to self isolate at home.[69]
After schools reopened for the 2021/2022 academic year, the HSE's lead for testing and tracing Niamh O'Beirne revealed that around 800 schools reported a positive COVID-19 case since they reopened, with 500 in primary schools and 300 in secondary schools.[70] By 8 September, the number of children restricting their movements as a result of being designated a close contact of a COVID-19 case increased to 16,000, after more than 100 schools contacted the HSE over cases among pupils.[71]
On 18 October, a primary school in County Wexford closed until after the mid-term break in November after 34 cases of COVID-19 were detected at the school.[72] One day later on 19 October, a primary school in County Wicklow closed over concerns at a high incidence of COVID-19 at the school.[73]
Junior and Leaving Certificate 2020–21
2020
On 19 March,
Minister for EducationJoe McHugh announced the cancellation of
Leaving and
Junior Certificateoral and practical exams, with all students given top marks.[74] On 10 April, McHugh announced the postponement of Leaving Certificate written exams until late July/August, and that Junior Cycle examinations due to take place in June would be replaced by school-based exams and assessments held early in the new school year.[75] On 23 April, McHugh confirmed in the Dáil that Leaving Certificate examinations would begin on 29 July.[76][77] On 29 April, McHugh announced that all third-year Junior Cycle students would receive a certificate of completion and a report on achievement and that the decision to hold school-based exams and assessments early in the new school year was abandoned.[78][79]
On 16 July, new
Minister for EducationNorma Foley announced that Leaving Certificate results would be published on 7 September, three weeks later than usual.[86] After the announcement, the
Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland described the way that the time of the Leaving Certificate results being released as 'disappointing'.[87] On 26 August, Foley announced that the postponed Leaving Certificate written examinations would begin on Monday 16 November for those who couldn't get calculated grades.[88] On 1 September, Foley announced that under 17% of Leaving Certificate grades calculated by schools would be reduced and 4% would be increased.[89] On 2 February 2021, over 2,000 students who sat the postponed written
Leaving Certificate exams in November 2020 received their results, with over 40% of the grades higher than the calculated grades students had received.[90]
Grading errors
On 30 September,
TaoiseachMicheál Martin announced that two coding errors were identified in the
Leaving Certificate calculated grades system.[91] Speaking at a press briefing at the
Department of Education,
Minister for EducationNorma Foley apologised and announced that around 7,200 students were affected, receiving a higher grade than they should have while some students received a lower grade.[92][93] On 3 October, following a review of the calculated grades system, the
Department of Education confirmed that 6,100 students were affected by the errors and would receive improved grades.[94] On the same day,
Minister for EducationNorma Foley announced that a third error was identified.[95]
2021
On 5 February 2021,
Minister for EducationNorma Foley announced a new phase of planning for the
Leaving Certificate examinations.[96] On 11 February, the
Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI) withdrew from discussions with the
Department of Education on the Leaving Certificate 2021 after it said that the plan being developed would not provide a "meaningful Leaving Certificate" for students.[97] Two days later on 13 February, the ASTI re-joined discussions with the Department of Education on the Leaving Certificate 2021 after pulling out on 11 February.[98] On 17 February, Minister for Education Norma Foley confirmed that Leaving Certificate examinations would proceed with students given the option between a modified version of calculated grades or written exams, while
Junior Certificate examinations were cancelled for a second year in a row.[99]
On 9 March, Minister for Education Norma Foley lost her appeals against findings that two home-schooled students were unfairly excluded from the Leaving Certificate calculated grades process.[100]
On 24 March, the
State Examinations Commission and Minister for Education Norma Foley issued new guidelines to schools advising that face coverings would be required during the Leaving Certificate
oral exams, which begin on Friday 26 March.[101]
On 2 June, the
Department of Education announced that
Leaving Certificate results would be delayed for a second year in a row, with students to receive their results on 3 September.[102] On 3 September, over 61,000 students received their Leaving Certificate exam results with grades significantly higher compared to 2020, with the number of students achieving H1s in some popular subjects rising by more than 7 percentage points.[103]
On the day CAO offers released on 7 September, an error was discovered in the Leaving Certificate grading process, affecting 1,800 students who sat the
Leaving Certificate Applied programme.[104]
On 8 June, more than 131,000 students began their Leaving and Junior Certificate examinations, marking the first full return to traditional written June exams in two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[106]
On 23 June, the
State Examinations Commission announced that Leaving Certificate results would be delayed for a third year in a row, with students to receive their results on 2 September.[107] On 2 September, more than 61,000 Leaving Certificate students received their results, which were artificially boosted in order to comply with a commitment made by the Minister for Education earlier in the year.[108]
On 6 April,
Galway's University held the first non-physical online graduation ceremonies in its history, after bringing forward the examinations of 190 medical students to send them into service in hospitals with immediate effect.[110]Michael Ryan, the Irish-born Executive Director of the
World Health Organization's Health Emergencies Programme, addressed those graduating from what was also the university where he studied.[111] The university also held another similar online ceremony two days later.[112]University College Cork held its first non-physical online graduation ceremony on 17 April (a date also brought forward for the same reason), with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar addressing them through a video link and asking anyone from overseas to stay in Ireland, because "everyone graduating this year" would be guaranteed an internship as a result of the virus.[113]
In May, researchers at Galway were reported to have developed a
smartphonesocial distancingapp which set off a vibrator if people were too close to each other for too long, with it being possible to suspend the vibrator if movement is not possible.[114]
In June, some universities either had (
Galway) or were intending to (
Dublin) refund rent fees to students (Galway also vowed to reduce the cost of its on-campus accommodation for the following academic year). However,
Cork reduced its lease by only three weeks for the following academic year and
Dublin's second university gave no comment on its intentions.[115]
In October 2020, all further and higher education institutions across the country moved classes primarily online due to
Level 5 lockdown restrictions,[118][119] however buildings of universities and colleges were allowed to remain open to students and staff after the government granted higher-education institutions "essential service" status under the country's Level 5 lockdown.[120]
On 9 October,
University College Cork confirmed several cases of COVID-19 amongst students in a UCC-run student accommodation.[121]
On 16 February 2021, it was announced that two universities in
Galway and
Limerick had been hit by major COVID-19 outbreaks of up to nearly 250 confirmed cases due to students breaching
Level 5 lockdown regulations, which caused clusters of infection involving up to 40 people.[122][123][124]
The
Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM), which had announced the cancellation of its spring and summer music exams on 12 March, announced on 8 April that it would allow online submissions of home-recorded exam performances in June 2020.[126]
On 22 September, following advice from
Chief Medical OfficerTony Holohan, asymptomatic primary school children and those in childcare facilities identified as close contacts of a confirmed case of COVID-19 would no longer have to restrict their movements or get tested from Monday 27 September.[130]