Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 September 2021
502. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education the number of CO2 monitors that have been delivered to schools and or will be delivered in time for the new term; the number that have been ordered; the locations from which the monitors have been ordered; the cost of same; the scientific basis on which the number granted to each school are calculated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41569/21]
View answer503. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education the systems in place to ensure each school receives the CO2 monitors it needs automatically; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41570/21]
View answer504. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education if each school in the State will get a delivery and installation of CO2 monitors sufficient to their need; if not, the reason; the discussions she has had with schools in relation to same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41571/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 502 to 504, inclusive, together.
Managing ventilation is just one of a suite of public health measures in place to keep our schools safe.
My Department updated its guidance for schools on Practical Steps for the Deployment of Good Ventilation Practices in Schools. This was done at the end of May and followed on from work done centrally by an expert group that was looking at the role of ventilation in managing Covid-19.
A copy of the guidance is published at www.gov.ie/en/publication/ad236-guidance-on-ventilation-in-schools/.
The over-arching approach in the guidance is for schools to have windows open as fully as possible when classrooms are not in use (e.g. during break-times or lunch-times and also at the end of each school day) and partially open when classrooms are in use.
The importance of good ventilation is an important aspect of public health advice on managing Covid-19 risks and this led to the establishment of an Expert Group by the Department of Health.
A sub-group of the main Expert Group focussed exclusively on the issue of improving and monitoring ventilation in schools. This report formed the based for the most recent updating of the ventilation guidance for schools and included recommendations in relation to strengthening the message about the importance of good ventilation, the use of CO2 monitors and, where considered necessary, air cleaners.
The use of CO2 monitors can provide a useful general indication that areas/rooms within a building may not be adequately ventilated and can enable occupants to become familiar with the impact that activities, outdoor weather and window openings have on levels of good ventilation within a room. This information can be used to inform strategies for improving ventilation and in that regard my Department has funded the provision of over 35,000 portable CO2 monitors for schools at an estimated overall cost of circa €4 million. The portable units can facilitate measurements in a wide range of locations in schools.
Deliveries of CO2 monitors to schools commenced in the third week of August and are expected to be completed by mid-September. In total, it involves over 35,000 CO2 monitors being distributed to schools in either one or two deliveries over a four-week period.
