The Minister for Education has confirmed that antigen testing in schools will come into effect from next Monday 29 November, and that all guidance will be made available to schools and parents this week.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland programme, Norma Foley also said there are now 680 substitute teachers available to provide emergency cover to schools.
She said many of these teachers are already available to go into classrooms, and that more will become available soon. Ms Foley said the issue is more acute in some areas than others, adding that a combination of measures were needed to tackle the problem.
The support of the HEI in facilitating the release of student teachers was a "very positive step forward", she said, adding that and