An Taoiseach Micheal Martin speaking at MTU todayThe Taoiseach says antigen testing will be used in schools in certain circumstances.
Micheál Martin was speaking at the Munster Technological University in Bishopstown in the city in the past hour.
The Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said yesterday that he is considering the roll out of antigen testing and the resumption of contact tracing in primary schools following recommendations from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
Students under 12 years of age are not required to wear masks in class and are not yet eligible for a Covid vaccine.
Speaking to RedFM News, Taoiseach Micheál Martin says non-Covid respiratory illnesses are posing more of a problem in schools.
"The real message from public health has been RSV and non Covid respiratory illnesses are more of a problem for children right now in respect of admissions.
"The basic advice has been that anybody who is symptomatic in any way in terms of respiratory illness should not go to school.
"The same issue has not applied to covid in respect of children getting severely ill and going to hospital.
"There will be utilisation of antigen [testing] in given areas in schools."
