Offaly school cancels Italy trip over coronavirus COVID-19 fears

A Laois Offaly secondary school has cancelled a trip to Italy for its students because of coronavirus COVID-19 outbreaks.

Coláiste Iosagáin in Portarlington made the announcement to students and to parents this Wednesday, March 4.

It followed the latest advice given by the Department of Foreign Affairs yesterday to avoid non-essential travel to the four regions of North Italy worst affected by the virus.

About 45 Transition Year students were due to travel to Lake Garda and possible Venice in April, along with several teachers.

On Tuesday night March 3 the school texted their parents to say it was going to make a decision and asked for their opinions. Almost all of the parents wanted to cancel the trip.

Seamus Bennett is principal of the school which has over 1,000 boys and girls. 

"We made the call today, we told the students this morning and we emailed the parents this evening. It was easier to make the decision as the Department had advised against travelling. We were notified by the travel company USIT that if we left it any longer we would not get back any of the money," he told the Leinster Express on Wednesday.

"We had to take into account the possible loss of money if we waiting longer to cancel, the advice from the department, the community back home if the virus was carried, and the dilemma if quarantine was required," the principal said.

A partial refund is now expected but the TY Co-ordinator Clare Kelly is continuing to negotiate to get as much refunded as possible.

The trip cost each student about €585 Mr Bennett said.

"It would be a shocking loss to them, some kids were saving all year and looking forward to it. What we would like to do with is arrange an overnight trip in Ireland later instead," he said.

Italy has the highest rate of COVID-19 cases outside of Asia. The death toll from coronavirus reached 79 on Tuesday March 3 and the number of confirmed cases rose to 2,263.