Teachers are calling for medical-grade masks to be provided to all staff ahead of schools reopening on April 12.
Members of the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) said there are concerns about returning to the classroom given the situation in the country at present and the emergence of new strains of Covid-19.
Delegate Anthony Dowling, of the Dun Laoghaire branch, told the annual TUI conference it is unacceptable for teachers to have to bring their own masks to work every day.
“Many are working in overcrowded classes with poor ventilation and inadequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for members. We have no access to masks. We must bring our own masks to work every day, whether they are the right quality or not we don’t know.