Pauline O'Reilly (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach for bringing to everyone's attention Romania's national day today. I want to give a shout-out because my daughter's best friend is Romanian and we are delighted to have such a mix of cultures in Galway. The other day was my daughter's birthday and I noticed that very few had come from Galway but they are bringing a rich diversity to our communities. It is important that we mention daily the important contributions that people make to our society.

I raise the issue of HEPA air filters. It was difficult for many families this morning to break the news to their children that they would have to wear masks in school. We had an expert group which reported on ventilation in March. Its advice was that we needed HEPA filters and, at the very least, school visits were needed to do a risk assessment. That has not happened. The chair of the group, Professor John Wenger, said not enough has been done. We need to ask some serious questions about why the work has not been carried out. It is not suitable or necessary for every school but we all know school face financial barriers in providing these filters. I have heard of schools where parents are buying the filters.

HEPA filters reduce the number of particles in the air. They are like gas masks and stop most particulate matter from circulating in the air. Covid aside, they are relevant when we look to the future because we do not know what is coming. They are also relevant for air quality in general. Cars idling outside schools has an impact on children inside the classroom. These filters could help with that as well.