Whole schools may not shut because of an outbreak of Covid-19 under the government's €375 million euro plan to re-open the education system.
If there's an outbreak in a school an assessment will be done on how many children will need to self-isolate having come into contact with that person.
Millions of euro have been allocated to allow schools to adapt classrooms to allow for social distancing where required.
Funding is also being made available to hire extra teachers.
Education Minister Norma Foley says public health teams will make an assessment whenever a case of coronavirus is identified;
"That may well envisage for example that the class would be the class that would be asked to go into self-isolation. It's very clear that depending on how it happens and in what context it happens that the situation can be managed."
