Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 September 2021
443. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education the number of CO2 monitors that have been delivered to schools; the number of monitors required for the total commitment of a monitor in every classroom; and the current projected cost of the project. [46109/21]
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 on the Gov.ie website.
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 and the use of CO2 monitors.
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 the Department of Education has funded the provision of a number of 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.
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 distributed to schools to date, meaning that CO2 monitors have been delivered to each school in the country.
96% of primary schools (including all special schools) have received their full allocation of CO2 monitors. 10 CO2 monitors have been provided to schools at post-primary level. The remaining balance of CO2 monitors is expected to be distributed in October.
