Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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120. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will publish the documentation involved in the order, acquisition and checking of CO2 monitors for schools; the cost of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45188/21]

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 on the Gov.ie website.

The over-arching approach in the guidance is for schools to have windows open as fully as possible when classrooms are not in use 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.

My Department procured portable monitors that are currently being distributed to schools – between 2 and 20 at primary school level and between 20 and 35 at post-primary school level depending on school size, at an estimated overall cost of €4 million. The monitors are portable, simple to use, and will give a digital reading.

The procurement of the monitors was carried out through a Multi-Supplier Framework 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 CO₂monitors to schools under that Framework was undertaken in April 2021. The responses were assessed by the Education Procurement Service with the CO₂ monitors evaluated against the performance specification. Lennox Laboratory Supplies Ltd. was the most economically advantageous tender and an order was placed following the successful conclusion of that process.

Deliveries of CO2 monitors to schools commenced in the third week of August. In total, it involves over 35,000 CO2 monitors being distributed to, primary and post-primary schools. 25,000 CO2 monitors have been distributed to schools which has facilitated monitors being provided to each school.

96% of primary schools (including all special schools) having received their full allocation of CO2. Ten CO₂monitors have been provided to schools at post-primary level with the balance of their allocation expected to be distributed in October.