Shed as Covid isolation unit: Clonbonny National School staff and parents in anger

Few days ago, the Irish Government had announced that children without Covid-19 symptoms should go to school. But have the school authorities ensured adequate security for the children who come to school during this outbreak?

This question was not raised by Irish Samachar. It was raised by the parents and staff members of Clonbonny National School, Co Westmeath. They allege that the school management did not make adequate preparations for the Covid precaution.

Clonbonny NS, is composed of five teachers and about 125 students. If children begin to experience Covid symptoms, they will have to be a housed in a garden shed at the National school. The question is, how can that shed accommodate so many kids?

Since the school did not have much space, one of their canteens had already been converted into a classroom.

The school authorities had asked the government for a portacabin in an effort to tackle possible overcrowding at the school. But this did not happen as the plans to reopen school were delayed.

Labour TD, Aodhán Ó Ríordáín said, “this is why the package for re-opening should have been announced in May at the latest. We won’t get to ask the Minister about this until next week at the earliest.”

Making the shed an isolation unit isn’t acceptable, Joan Donnelly talked to RTE News, the school’s principal.

However, she claimed that, they had no other place but the shed and made the decision with the safety of the children in mind.

In a classroom of 37 children, there is not even a metre of space between the desks as there is no enough space in the classroom.

Donnelly said she initially tried to get a prefab, but was told by the department that she would not have the permission to prepare to bring it on site, and there would also be a fire cert problem.

She said it was the best the school could do, since the department hadn’t responded to its call for more space to be allocated.

A spokesperson from the department said; the department is in touch with the school about their accommodation issues.

He said if any children at school experience Covid symptoms, they should report it immediately to teachers or other staff members, and they will be shifted to another designated isolation area.