Covid restrictions will not be eased for teachers, Minister Norma Foley has confirmed.
Despite concerns about staff shortages, Minister Foley said teachers and school staff will have to follow the measures.
Foley stressed that teachers who are a close contact of a positive Covid case will have to restrict their movements. Changes will not be made, even if schools across the country face staff problems.
You must restrict your movements for five days if you have received your booster vaccine and are a close contact.
People who are only double vaccinated need to restrict movements for 10 days.
It is believed thousands of teachers will be absent when schools re-open tomorrow.
John Boyle of INTO revealed that 15% of their members won't be able to go to work on Thursday.
Up to 8,000 teachers could be missing from classrooms tomorrow because they're self-isolating.
Boyle told RTÉ's Morning Ireland that "there isn't a hope" of finding enough teachers to cover.
There have been calls for online learning to be re-introduced.
A Dublin teacher said online teaching would be beneficial given the current situation.
Teacher Seamus Keane told Morning Ireland: "Teachers who can't come to school would be able to teach online."
"And students who can't come to school because they're sick, living with someone who's vulnerable or they're close contacts can also benefit from online teaching."
However, Minister for Education Norma Foley said in-person teaching remains the priority.
She confirmed that schools will re-open on January 6th.
"We know that children and young people are best served by in-person teaching and learning, and this remains a priority."
She said she is "conscious of the demands and challenges that this will bring for school communities".
