Northern Ireland schools to close Monday

Schools in Northern Ireland will close for two weeks from Monday,  October 19 - they will not remain open to facilitate childcare for children of essential workers, the BBC reports..

Education Minister Peter Weir has insisted that schools will reopen on November 2 - any decision to extend the duration of closures would need to be approved by the whole executive.

First Minister Arlene Foster said childcare services will remain open during the break, to accommodate parents still required to go to work over the two-week period.

Universities and Further Education Colleges are also being told to deliver distance learning "to the maximum extent possible" - with only essential face-to-face learning where it is necessary and unavoidable.

The executive is also reinforcing its advice that people should work from home "unless unable to do so".

That has been Stormont's approach for some time. Where this can't be done, staff can return to the workplace so long as safety measures are being followed.-Photo: Pacemaker/BBC