631 schools across the country are to be referred for mass Covid-19 testing this week.
The HSE says high community infection levels have seen demand for its testing and tracing surge since classes resumed in the recent days.
45 schools were being referred to the programme per day in May, however 185 schools sought help a number of days last week.
Head of the HSE's test and trace programme, Niamh O'Beirne, says the number of student needing a test will depend on the amount of close contacts:
"During this week, we will be in the process of referring all 631 schools for mass-testing, and the number of contacts will depend on the school in some cases. In a primary, it might be a pod or a class, and in the secondary school, we're more focused on a circle of friends, people who you have lunch with, people you walk to school with, large speaking, without your mask and spending time with."
