Minister for Education Joe McHugh has confirmed that schools will not reopen next Monday.

Earlier this month, the government announced the closure of schools, pre-schools and further and higher education settings, until March 29, in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

However, speaking on Galway Bay FM this morning, the Education Minister Joe McHugh confirmed that schools will not open be opening.

Further details are expected on the closures this afternoon. 

The Teachers Union of Ireland urged students due to sit State exams this summer to ignore speculation - particularly on social media - and continue to engage wholeheartedly with their studies.

TUI president Seamus Lahart said students could "take it as a given" that every effort was being made "by the State Examinations Commission and by everybody in the broader education community to have appropriate arrangements in place for their examinations".

He said the TUI appreciated that the decision to extend the school closures was a necessary one and that educators would continue to do their work to the highest professional and ethical standards.