Thomas Gould
Question:66. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education the PPE to be worn by teachers in schools and the location in which the guidance on this can be found. [33949/20]
View answerWednesday, 4 November 2020
Questions (66)
Written answers
My Department has published a suite of helpful guidance for the safe and sustainable reopening of schools. Each school is required to have a COVID-19 Response Plan for the safe operation through the prevention, early detection and control of COVID-19 in line with public health advice. This guidance is focused on the practical steps schools must take to minimise the risk of transmission of infection
Following a centralised procurement process, my Department has established a multi-supplier arrangement from which schools can choose a supplier and select the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Consumables and equipment products that best suits their needs and the requirements under the Roadmap https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/b264b-roadmap-for-the-full-return-to-school/ .
This ensures schools have access to, on a value for money basis, a secure supply chain of various PPE and consumables under the Roadmap and their COVID-19 School Response Plan including hand sanitisers, sanitiser fluids, face coverings/visors, gloves, wipes etc.
A COVID-19 Capitation Grant for PPE, Consumables and Equipment of €25 per pupil, with an enhanced rate of €100 per pupil attending a special school or attending a special class attached to a mainstream school will apply to fund school costs to the end of 2020. This capitation grant takes account of a number of once off type costs, which schools face in implementing COVID-19 Response Plans (i.e. installation of sanitiser units, signage/posters etc.) which will be incurred upfront.