A significant update this afternoon.

The Leaving Cert has been postponed to the last week of July or August due to the coronavirus outbreak. This year's Junior Cert has also been cancelled and will be replaced by school based exams and assessments in the upcoming academic year. Schools and colleges will remain closed until further notice. Minister for Education Joe McHugh made the announcement at a press briefing this afternoon. He said that the decisions had been made in line with advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team. Practical examinations for Leaving Cert students have also been deferred and will be rescheduled at a later date. This came after Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced that the current Covid-19 restrictions will remain in place in Ireland until May 5. "We have slowed the spread of the virus considerably, but unfortunately we have not stopped its spread," he said. "I know many of us would like to know when things will go back to normal (...) the truth is nobody knows for certain, or how our lives will be different what that day comes." "Stay strong, stay safe, and stay at home," he added.