Seán Sherlock
Question:474. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education if teachers will be supplied with carbon dioxide readers for each classroom. [11694/21]
View answerWednesday, 3 March 2021
Questions (474)
Written answers
Schools have put in place significant mitigation measures to reduce the risk of coronavirus within the school environment. Minor works funding of €160m has been put in place to support these measures.
Practical steps for the deployment of good ventilation practices was provided to the school system in the context of re-opening for September 2020. This guidance was reviewed and updated on 30 November.
In summary, the overall approach for schools should be to have windows open as fully as possible when classrooms are not in use (e.g. during break-times or lunch-times (assuming not in use) and also at the end of each school day) and partially open when classrooms are in use. It is worth noting that windows do not need to be open as wide in windy/colder weather in order to achieve the same level of airflow into the classroom. This will assist in managing comfort levels in classrooms. Managing comfort levels will be easier for schools now than during the winter period.
In updating the guidance in November, the Department’s Planning and Building Unit reviewed the HPSC guidance that consideration be given to installing an indoor air quality monitor in classrooms. The updated guidance sets out that in the main windows are likely to be required to be open at a frequency and level in the classroom irrespective of whether the opening of windows is prompted through the indoor air quality monitor (re-active approach) or through the pro-active approach outlined in the Department’s guidance and that therefore it is not considered necessary to install such monitors in classrooms. However, the updated guidance indicates that it is a matter for individual schools to consider whether they wish to use some of their minor works grant funding for this purpose or alternatively schools may wish to use some of their minor works grant funding for provision of permanent background ventilation, where required, as referenced in the guidance.
This guidance is one of a number of prevention and control measures in place to ensure schools are very safe.
An expert group on ventilation has recently been formed to advise the national public health emergency team (NPHET) across a range of settings. The work of this group will help guide whether any further update on the Department’s guidance is required.