Schools and state exams
- Schools remain closed until further notice.
- The Junior Cert will be replaced by school based exams and assessments to take place early in the next school year. Discussions will take place with educators in order to arrange this.
- The Leaving Certificate is being postponed until the last week of July or early August, based on public health advice. This revised timetable will be released in early June. This will hopefully be proceeded by class-based time to allow students to prepare.
The restrictions that will remain in place until the 5th of May are listed below:
- All theatres, clubs, gyms/leisure centres, hairdressers, betting shops, marts, markets, casinos, bingo halls, libraries and other similar outlets are shut;
- All hotels must limit occupancy to essential non-social and non-tourist reasons;
- All non-essential retail outlets are closed to members of the public and all other retail outlets are to implement physical distancing;
- All cafes and restaurants are limiting supply to take away food or delivery;
- All sporting events are cancelled, including those behind closed doors;
- All playgrounds and holiday/caravan parks are closed;
- All places of worship are restricting numbers entering at any one time to ensure adequate physical distancing;
- All organised social indoor and outdoor events of any size are not to take place.
- People should stay home as much as possible, work from home if they can, and only leave home to go to work if there is no alternative;
- Only go to the shops for essential supplies, for medical or dental appointments, to care for others or to take physical exercise;
- Social events or gatherings involving more than 4 people that have not already been cancelled should be cancelled;
- Non-essential indoor visits to other people’s homes should be avoided. Social gatherings of individuals outdoors should be no more than 4, unless from the same household.
- No unnecessary travel should take place within the country or overseas.
- Essential retail services such as supermarkets will remain open
Source: Josepha Madigan TD, Minister for Culture, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht, Dublin Rathdown email 10/04/2020.