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Latest Swine Flu Advice

Wednesday, 2 September 2009

The Irish National Teachers` Union (INTO) raised concerns about the adequate resourcing of schools to cope with the expected upsurge of swine flu as children return to school.

Speaking today, Tony Carlin, Senior Official, INTO said, ”The INTO are concerned that following a number of calls from Principal members, it would appear that schools will be required to provide resources such as tissues, alcohol wipes and other measures out of their own school budgets to cope with the potential pandemic.”

Mr Carlin continued, “The INTO are presently attempting to clarify the situation but we are concerned that there has not been central resourcing of a problem which impacts on the entire community. We view it as essential in the control of the spread of the virus that the educational community is adequately resourced and that these resources are held centrally”.

Mr Carlin concluded, ”Unless schools are adequately resourced centrally to cope with possible pandemic, INTO fears that the safety of children and teachers will be limited by the state of the school budget. In such a situation the minister’s guidance will offer little comfort to those who will suffer. INTO now calls on the Minster to work with INTO and rethink this resourcing issue.”