Richard Daly is among the most experienced school principals in the country. In his 30 years at the helm at Athy Community College, he says the last two have been by far the most challenging.
He, like so many others, both school staff and students, is desperate for things to return to something like normal. In terms of the restrictions he most wants to see the back of, mask wearing is close to the top, but he would like to see other measures relaxed too. "I would love to see the distance between students diminishing.
We are in a second level setting so many of our students are vaccinated. I would love to see that coming in so that we could do we go back to group work," he said.
Mr Daly said he would he would like to see "some variations" on masks and suggested perhaps abandoning them in the classroom, but keeping them for circulation in public areas of schools, where students mingle beyond their immediate social groups.