Thomas Gould
Question:287. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education if there is additional funding for heating available to schools. [4211/22]
View answerThursday, 27 January 2022
Questions (287)
Written answers
My Department provides capitation funding to all recognised schools in the Free Education Scheme.
The main grant is the capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs including heating costs.
My Department has ensured that centrally negotiated rates are available to schools for electricity and bulk heating fuels. These rates are available through existing frameworks sourced by the Office of Government Procurement (OGP). OGP has run competitions specifically for Schools at a national level and the Schools Procurement Unit and the Department has communicated with schools and school management bodies informing them of the options available to them through these national arrangements. Information on how to avail of these arrangements is available via the Schools Procurement Unit website, www.spu.ie.
As you are aware the Department has issued additional funding to schools to support the implementation of infection prevention and control measures required to help minimise the risk of Covid-19. Funding has recently issued to cover the new term.
The public health guidance for schools operating during Covid-19 includes some important general recommendations about ventilation practices in schools. Ventilation guidance for schools was published by the Department in May 2021.
Schools are urged to:
- Consider if room ventilation especially in classrooms, break rooms and canteens can be improved without causing discomfort.
- Ensure that, wherever possible, doors and windows are open to increase natural ventilation.
- Increase air flow and ventilation weather permitting
The over-arching 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 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 and also heating costs during periods of colder weather.
You will also be aware that the Enhanced Minor Works for Primary Schools Grant Funding issued recently and this is intended to support the operation of schools generally and particularly within a Covid-19 environment, with a specific focus on providing additional support to schools for the implementation of the ventilation guidance published by the Department.