Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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404. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will direct school principals and teachers to allow students to wear additional layers of clothing, including coats, hats and scarves, to offset the effects of windows being opened to improve ventilation in classrooms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39904/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has published on Monday 30 November 2020, updated guidance for schools in line with public health advice in relation to the practical steps for the Deployment of good ventilation practices in schools.

The guidance sets out for schools good ventilation recommendations for improving room ventilation especially in classrooms without causing discomfort and encouraging where possible the opening of doors and windows to increase natural ventilation in particular where climate allows.

The overall approach for schools should be to have windows open as fully as possible when classrooms are not in use (e.g. during break-times, lunch-times and at the end of each school day) and partially open when classrooms are in use. Windows do not need to be open as wide in colder weather in order to achieve the same level of airflow into the classroom. This will assist in managing comfort levels in classrooms during periods of colder weather.