The Department of Education says teachers won't have to be vaccinated when schools reopen at the end of this month.
It's also confirmed teachers won't have to divulge their vaccine status to be allowed back into classrooms.
This comes as Education Minister Norma Foley is set to issue advice to schools next week on the rules they'll have to follow as part of the reopening.
The news that teachers won't be required to be vaccinated has drawn some concern for vulnerable staff and students.
But Sinn Fein's education spokesperson, Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, doesn't expect a significant number of teachers to be unvaccinated:
"In my view, the vast vast majority of teachers want to be vaccinated and I expect will be vaccinated at the rate of adults who are opting in to getting vaccinated.
"Vaccines aren't mandatory but the level of compliance with it is has been overwhelming
"I would be urging all teachers to get vaccinated and I would expect that the vast, vast, vast majority of them will and indeed are anxious to do so."
