Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 November 2021
306. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the number of primary schools in Ireland that have been provided with CO2 monitors funded by her Department; the number of primary schools that have not received any CO2 monitors to date; the number of CO2 monitors provided per primary school; the total number of CO2 monitors provided to date to primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55242/21]
View answer307. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the number of secondary schools in Ireland that have been provided with CO2 monitors funded by her Department; the number of secondary schools who have not received any CO2 monitors to date; the number of CO2 monitors provided per secondary school; the total number of CO2 monitors provided to date to secondary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55243/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 306 and 307 together.
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.
Managing 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.
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. The provision of portable CO2 monitors provides schools with the flexibility to focus their use to those rooms where most beneficial to inform strategies for optimising ventilation in the school.
All schools in the free scheme have received their allocation of monitors.
In excess of 35,400 monitors were delivered to 3239 primary schools (18,262 monitors) and 725 post-primary (17,215 monitors) schools.
Monitors were allocated on the following basis:
|
Primary Schools (Classrooms) |
Monitors per school |
|
1 classroom |
2 |
|
2 to 4 Classrooms |
3 |
|
5 to 8 |
5 |
|
9 to 12 |
7 |
|
13 to 16 |
9 |
|
17 to 20 |
11 |
|
21 to 24 |
13 |
|
25 to 30 |
17 |
|
31+ |
20 |
|
Special Schools |
Monitors per school |
|
Special Schools |
10 |
|
Secondary Schools (Free Scheme) enrolment bands |
Monitors per school |
|
<500 |
20 |
|
501 to 750 |
25 |
|
751 to 1000 |
30 |
|
1001+ |
35 |
