Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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624. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps she is taking to fast-track the delivery of the 32,000 CO2 monitors to schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42824/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Deliveries of CO2 monitors to schools commenced in the third week of August and are expected to be completed by mid-September. In total, it involves over 35,000 CO2 monitors being distributed to, primary and post-primary schools. 

Smaller sized schools will receive their full allocation in one delivery, with medium and larger sized schools receiving two deliveries. This approach maximises the number of schools that are provided with monitors as early as possible.  

The target remains to have all monitors delivered by the middle of September.

Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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625. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the details of the procurement of C02 monitors for our schools; when this process commenced; if there has been a delay in providing these monitors; when they will be delivered to our schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42836/21]

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. Updated guidance for schools on Practical Steps for the Deployment of Good Ventilation Practices in Schools was provided at the end of May following the work of an expert group that carefully considered the role of ventilation in managing COVID-19.

A copy of the guidance is published at

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

The procurement of the monitors was carried out through a Multi-Supplier Framework, LEE004F – Lab Consumables Framework -Lot 12,  established by the Education Procurement Service to run from 2020 to 2024 following an open competitive procurement process.  A mini competition for the supply of the CO2 monitors to schools under that Framework was undertaken in April 2021, with the order placed with the most economically advantageous supplier following the successful conclusion of that process.

Deliveries of CO2 monitors to schools commenced in the third week of August and are expected to be completed by mid-September. In total, it involves over 35,000 CO2 monitors being distributed to , primary and post-primary schools in the Free Scheme and schools approved on the basis of their application in the Fee Charging sector.