Stormont ministers expected to approve school closure extension

By David Young, PA and Q Radio News

A proposal to extend the substantive closure of schools in Northern Ireland is expected to be signed off by the Stormont executive later.

Education Minister Peter Weir has tabled a paper for executive colleagues recommending that the current arrangements, which only allow vulnerable children and those of key workers to attend class, are extended to Friday March 5.

That would see a potential return to school on Monday March 8.

However, in his paper Mr Weir acknowledges that not all pupils may be able to get back into classroom setting on that date and he raises the potential of a phased return, with children in key exam years returning first.

Getty Images 

The minister stressed that any move to bring more children back to school will be dependent on the public health situation at the start of March.

Schools are currently due to reopen after the mid-term break in the middle of February however there has been a widespread expectation that the date would be pushed back, given executive ministers have already decided to extend the region-wide lockdown to March 5.

Yesterday the Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced schools in England will remain closed until 8th March. While in the Republic of Ireland, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar confirmed plans earlier this week for schools to reopen on a phased basis in February and March.

Mr Weir is also asking executive colleagues to support his call for special school teachers to be prioritised for Covid-19 vaccinations.

Decisions vaccination prioritisation are ultimately made on a UK-wide basis by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

At Thursday’s executive meeting, ministers will also be told that the reproduction rate for new cases of Covid-19 is between 0.65 and 0.8.

The R rate for hospital admissions is between 0.8 and 0.9 while for ICU admissions it is between 0.95 and 1.15.

Ministers will also be told that several other main indicators of the virus are tracking downward.

However, the lag period between infection and hospital admissions means the numbers of ICU admissions continues to rise in Northern Ireland.

While addressing a Stormont press conference on Wednesday Health Minister Robin Swann refused to go into detail regarding today's executive meeting. 

However, on the issue of travel he said he believed it is up to the executive as a whole to tighten travel restrictions and quarantine rules in Northern Ireland. 

Minister Swann confirmed discussions have been taking place with the UK and Irish governments. 

Health Minister, Robin Swann, says discussions continue on quarantine and tightening travel rules here. Boris Johnson told MPs earlier UK nationals and residents returning from "red list" countries will be placed in quarantine in government-provided accommodation for 10 days.

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) January 27, 2021