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School Funding

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 February 2022

Tuesday, 22 February 2022

Questions (440)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

440. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education if she will consider the request from a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9316/22]

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Written answers

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. The updated guidance for schools is also fully in line with the most recent guidance on non-healthcare building ventilation during COVID-19, published by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre November 2021.

To provide additional support in the context of Covid-19 the payment of a minor works grant totalling €45m for primary schools and special schools, plus a once-off Covid-19 minor works funding of €17m for post-primary schools, was issued in December 2021. Given that each school setting is different, individual schools are best placed to decide how best to use this funding to address their particular needs. Schools that identify inadequate ventilation in a room can utilise their minor work grant or apply for emergency works grant assistance to address ventilation enhancements where the minor work grant does not cover the full cost of the works required. As noted in Circular Letter 0065/2021 “Enhanced Minor Works Grant Funding for Primary Schools Exceptional Minor Works Grant Funding for Post Primary Schools with a particular focus on supporting enhanced ventilation” Scoil Mhuire Shankill may apply for additional funding through the Emergency Works Scheme, which is available at gov.ie/en/circular/97829-emergency-works-grant-scheme-migration-to-on-line-applications-and-minor-revisions-of-scheme/

Scoil Mhuire, Shankill received an original allocation of 9 CO2 monitors in 2021. The school were also approved for an additional 6 CO2 monitors by email on the 19th of January 2022. This brings their total allocation to 15 CO2 monitors, which exceeds the number of classrooms in the school by one unit, which can be used at their discretion in an auxiliary room.

The public health guidance for schools operating during Covid-19 includes some important general recommendations about ventilation practices in schools.

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. Opening windows fully for a short period at the end of each school day avoids the need to do the same again before the start of classes in the morning and further assists in managing comfort levels in the classroom in the mornings (partially opened windows should enable good ventilation to be achieved when classrooms are occupied).This will assist in managing comfort levels and also heating costs during periods of colder weather.

It may also be of assistance to know that the 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.

Question No. 441 answered with Question No. 421.
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