Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 September 2021
362. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Education if she has plans to provide each classroom with CO2 monitors to help control ventilation and prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the classroom; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44586/21]
View answerManaging ventilation is just one of a suite of public health measures in place to keep our schools safe. Updated guidance for schools on Practical Steps for the Deployment of Good Ventilation Practices in Schools was provided at the end of May following the work of an expert group that carefully considered 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 guidance outlines that Carbon Dioxide (CO2) monitors can play a part in providing a useful general indication that areas/rooms may not be adequately ventilated. They can enable occupants to become familiar with the impacts of activities, outdoor weather and window openings on levels of good ventilation.
My Department procured portable monitors that are currently being distributed to schools – between 2 and 20 at primary school level and between 20 and 35 at post-primary school level depending on school size, at an estimated overall cost of €4 million. The monitors are portable, simple to use, and will give a digital reading.
Deliveries of CO2 monitors to schools commenced in the third week of August. In total, it involves over 35,000 CO2 monitors being distributed to, primary and post-primary schools. 25,000 CO2 monitors have been to schools with the remaining balance of CO2 monitors will be distributed to schools by early October.
The Department’s ventilation guidance for schools is very clear and practical on the steps to be taken by all schools to manage ventilation levels.
If an individual school has particular difficulties in managing ventilation the Department is available to guide and support it as required on the appropriate strategy to address same.
