"There is major uncertainty over the prospect of any school in rural Ireland reopening this week despite the fact that Batt O'Keeffe today reversed his decision requiring schools to close until Thursday. There is a concern among schools that in the absence of a specific instruction to Bus Eireann from the Minister to operate the school-bus system, that there will be no transport in place.

"In that instance, there will be absolute chaos at local level, and I am calling on Minister O'Keeffe to clarify the situation as a matter of urgency.It may well be the case that school transport providers around the country will not be in a position to get themselves geared up to provide a service in the next couple of days, because of the flip-flopping of Batt O'Keeffe, and that schools will have to stay closed as a result.

"Many schools in areas that I am familiar with are still badly snowbound, and in all likelihood would have had to remain closed for the next few days in any event, but many others could very easily open as early as tomorrow.

"School Boards of Management have traditionally been responsible at a local level for deciding on matters such as school closures and health and safety issues. This system has worked perfectly well, and even last week, schools that could not open, remained closed, while many others opened with little or no problem.

"Quite why Batt O'Keeffe had to meddle with this arrangement is beyond me.