The Education Minister has said he is still determined to see the Junior and Leaving Certificate exams go ahead as planned.

Minister Joe McHugh said students would be informed at a “earliest point possible” if there was to be any change to the timetable.

He was speaking to Newstalk after it emerged that some special needs assistants (SNAs) would be temporarily redeployed to other areas of the public service to join the fight against COVID-19.

“I am determined as Minister for Education to make these exams happen,” he said. “That is where our total focus is in terms of my interactions with officials in the department.

“We are working on the basis that schools are closed until April 19th.

“Obviously, decision on what can happen in terms of the movement of people will be a matter for health officials.”

File photo of students sitting their exams.

He said everyone in the department is determined to ensure the exams happen.

“It is out of justice to the work and effort that so many young people have put in to this date and I believe we need to keep the focus and I am determined on a personal level to see that happen.”

He said officials are working on a range of back-up plans in case the exams can’ go ahead in their current form.

He promised to ensure that any changes or contingency plans are put in place at the earliest point possible to minimise disruption to the young people who are “sitting down and putting the effort, the time and the grind into studying for these exams.”

Meanwhile he said the reassignment of some SNAs to the health service aims to take the pressure off frontline staff.

“Really it is about asking our SNAs to carry out a role that will alleviate the pressure and ensure that nurses can work on the front line,” he said.

“Also, they can support vulnerable people, such as people in the disability sector and young people in particular.

“The overall aim is to use those skillsets in the best possible way to take pressure off our frontline staff.”

He said there will be remote roles available to people who are not able to leave the home.

“I know from my interactions with so many SNAs with the incredible roles that they perform within schools that they can potentially be a big, big asset in terms of taking the pressure off,” he said.

Schools will begin contacting their SNAs in the coming days.