Ms Orla Hegarty:

I thank Senator Conway for his question. The most important thing we need to get across today is that much of this can be dealt with by way of clear public health information and good guidance. We live in a temperate climate. We are not the United States of America, where there is a great deal of air conditioning. Most of our buildings are naturally ventilated so that people can improve things dramatically by just understanding the risks here in buildings and vehicles. Most of our buildings are small ones with openable windows. In particular, in the seasons when we are not heating or not having to heat a great deal, this can be addressed very easily at little or no cost.

In the winter season, we definitely need to start monitoring air because people are closing up buildings and there is a high risk of infection. In our larger buildings, we have mechanical or other systems and people need technical advice. We are talking in particular here about places like shops that are using wall and ceiling-mounted air conditioning units. These are very dangerous because they are not bringing in fresh air but are recirculating cool dry air and they have been connected with outbreaks where they are blowing air around the room. Again, this is an area where advice could help.

Larger buildings that have mechanical ventilation systems are often switched to recirculate the air to save energy. If that is the case they need to be checked and may need upgrades on filtration or on equipment. There are separate risks there.

The Senator mentioned HEPA filtration. This involves very low technology portable filtration fans that people can buy, sometimes for €100 or a little bit more for a classroom, that would be very suitable for places like nursing homes and childcare settings where perhaps people cannot wear masks or where there is a concern about vulnerable children or older people being in draughts or uncomfortable conditions. These are plug-in portable fans that can be very effective. Even from where we are now, there are very simple strategies that can be used in many places, with advice.

We also need to be very careful where people are selling systems at present, which may not be effective, are not regulated and which could possibly produce harmful by-products that are dangerous to health. There is an unregulated area at present in which systems are being advertised, sold and installed without being proven to be effective or giving a benefit and which may be very expensive. This is a technical area which needs to be resolved.

On the question of Germany, it has been dealing with this and has put forward an investment of several hundred million euro in order to improve schools and public buildings. Monitoring air can be a first step. This can be done very cheaply and carbon dioxide monitors are small and portable at a price of between €100 and €200. They can be fitted to classrooms, office buildings and shops very easily. They are light and can be moved around. Spain is using these quite extensively in schools, as are other countries.

There are many low technology solutions and advice that can be taken at very little cost. There will obviously be larger buildings that need specific targeted interventions where they have been identified as risk areas.