Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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1004. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has a contingency plan for the return of schools in August and September 2021 in the event of continued high Covid-19 rates among under 18s; if she will provide details of any such plans; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40421/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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It is planned that all schools will return fully at the end of August/early September in line with their normal planned reopening times. Public Health have stated that the new variants of the disease do not change the infection prevention and control measures required. Public Health advice is that compliance with these measures ensure that schools remain safe places for children and staff.

Schools have put significant measures in place to reduce the risk of coronavirus being transmitted to/within the school and significant funding has been provided to support schools in this respect.

The aim of all of the Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures that have been put in place for schools is to support schools to operate safely and prevent the introduction of Covid-19 and also the onward of transmission of Covid-19 among the school community. There is clear evidence from the operation of schools during the past year that schools are low risk environments in terms of the transmission of COVID-19 and that the infection prevention and control measures in place are highly effective in reducing the risk of contracting COVID-19. These measures protect pupils, their parents and school staff.

Schools have been advised that they should continue to operate with the current infection prevention and control measures in place to support their safe operation during COVID-19 when they reopen in the new term. Schools will continue to be supported in terms of the additional resources necessary to provide for these measures.

At this point in the pandemic and given the ongoing rollout and impact of the vaccination programme it is imperative that children’s education is prioritised and schools are fully reopened at the start of the academic year and remain open throughout the 2021/22 school year.

The Department will continue to work closely with all of the education partners and public health specialists so that schools will continue to be supported when they reopen for the 2021/2022 school year.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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1005. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of CO2 monitors being provided to schools for the autumn; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40422/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Managing ventilation is just one of a suite of public health measures in place to keep our schools safe.

The Department has updated its guidance for schools on Practical Steps for the Deployment of Good Ventilation Practices in Schools.

This was done at the end of May and followed on from work done centrally by an Expert Group that was looking at the role of ventilation in managing Covid-19.

A copy of the guidance is published at www.gov.ie/en/publication/ad236-guidance-on-ventilation-in-schools/.

The over-arching approach in the guidance is for schools 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.

The guidance outlines the role that Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) monitors can play a part in providing a useful general indication that areas/rooms may not be adequately ventilated and can enable occupants to become familiar with the impact of activities, outdoor weather and window openings on levels of good ventilation.

In this regard, the Department is procuring a number of portable monitors which will be distributed to all schools in August and September – between 2 and 20 at primary level and between 20 and 35 at post-primary level depending on school size. This will ensure that a CO2 monitor will be available for use in every classroom in Ireland.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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1006. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the percentage of the overall number of classrooms nationwide she estimates her Department will provide with a CO2 monitor in the autumn; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40423/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Managing ventilation is just one of a suite of public health measures in place to keep our schools safe.

The Department has updated its guidance for schools on Practical Steps for the Deployment of Good Ventilation Practices in Schools.

This was done at the end of May and followed on from work done centrally by an Expert Group that was looking at the role of ventilation in managing Covid-19.

A copy of the guidance is published at www.gov.ie/en/publication/ad236-guidance-on-ventilation-in-schools/.

The over-arching approach in the guidance is for schools 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.

The guidance outlines the role that Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) monitors can play a part in providing a useful general indication that areas/rooms may not be adequately ventilated and can enable occupants to become familiar with the impact of activities, outdoor weather and window openings on levels of good ventilation.

In this regard, the Department is procuring a number of portable monitors which will be distributed to all schools in August and September – between 2 and 20 at primary level and between 20 and 35 at post-primary level depending on school size. This will ensure that a CO2 monitor will be available for use in every classroom in Ireland.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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1007. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the percentage of the overall number of classrooms in County Kerry she estimates her Department will provide with a CO2 monitor in the autumn; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40424/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Managing ventilation is just one of a suite of public health measures in place to keep our schools safe.

The Department has updated its guidance for schools on Practical Steps for the Deployment of Good Ventilation Practices in Schools.

This was done at the end of May and followed on from work done centrally by an Expert Group that was looking at the role of ventilation in managing Covid-19.

A copy of the guidance is published at www.gov.ie/en/publication/ad236-guidance-on-ventilation-in-schools/.

The over-arching approach in the guidance is for schools 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.

The guidance outlines the role that Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) monitors can play a part in providing a useful general indication that areas/rooms may not be adequately ventilated and can enable occupants to become familiar with the impact of activities, outdoor weather and window openings on levels of good ventilation.

In this regard, the Department is procuring a number of portable monitors which will be distributed to all schools in August and September – between 2 and 20 at primary level and between 20 and 35 at post-primary level depending on school size. This will ensure that a CO2 monitor will be available for use in every classroom in Ireland, including those in Kerry.