Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister said that an air monitor does not increase the temperature of a room but only shows when the windows need to be open. By extension, it also shows when the windows do not need to be open, which would be very useful to many schools that are trying to manage the situation and ensure the welfare of the children in their care, by protecting them from Covid and other types of illness. I will take it from her answer that the Minister is not ruling such measures out but I ask her to go back to the HPSC and to continue to examine this. Air monitors would be of value and the perfect opportunity is there over the Christmas break for people to go into the schools and install them.

I have raised my final point with the Minister previously. It seems inevitable that additional money will be required for the ordinary school budget and the capitation grant early in the new year. Heating costs are going up and so are refuse costs, due to PPE, wipes, sanitiser and so on. Fundraising has inevitably fallen, and there is also the cost of room hire to consider. Will additional funding and capitation be provided to schools within this school year and if so, when?

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