Essential workers would be allowed to form a bubble with another household in order to provide childcare if they do not have an existing arrangement, under plans being discussed by the Cabinet.
As the Irish Times reports, Ministers, who are meeting to discuss further ways to halt the rise in Covid-19 infections, are also examining a proposal that would see all Leaving Cert students permitted to attend school for three days a week from next week.
It is understood that Minister for Education Norma Foley has pushed for the option of allowing sixth year students to attend school on a part-time basis to ensure they can stay on track for the planned summer exams.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said it is the Government firm intention that the traditional Leaving Cert exams will go ahead next June.
This year’s cohort of students lost out on three months of in-school tuition last year and there is a recognition that further losses could result in a return to the controversial calculated grades system used last year.
The meeting comes against a backdrop of a significant rise in cases of the disease and with hospitals generally and intensive care units coming under pressure.
Childcare services
A further 5,325 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 17 deaths were reported on Tuesday and the number of people in hospital being treated for the disease hit a new high of 921 on Wednesday.
Childcare services, including regulated childminders and other childcare arrangements, will be permitted to continue to provide services but only for vulnerable children and children of essential workers.
It is understood non-essential construction work will have to finish at 6pm on Friday. However, plans to allow what sources described as a “very limited” subset of construction activity continue.
Work on social housing that is nearly completion will be permitted, but only if it satisfies set criteria, sources said. Large infrastructure projects, understood to include the likes of the National Children’s Hospital and large school building projects, will continue, and emergency maintenance or repair work by plumbers, electricians and gas workers will be allowed continue.
The Cabinet is also expected to sign-off on plans later to close schools for a majority of students. Proposals being examined include keeping special schools and special classes in mainstream schools open for an estimated 15,000 pupils.
