Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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120. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the Covid situation in schools; and the measures she is taking to alleviate the spread of the virus at primary and secondary level and in relation to special education. [62336/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Education has always been guided by public health advice in relation to appropriate Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures in place in schools. These measures protect students, their parents and school staff and are very effective.

Public Health continue to advise that the two most important actions to prevent the introduction and spread of Covid-19 (and other respiratory viruses), is by ensuring no-one with new onset symptoms attend school, and that all recommended infection prevention and control measures are in place in line with school Covid response plans.  

Each school was provided with an updated COVID-19 Response Plan in advance of the return to school.  Significant additional resources of €639m were put into schools in the last academic year to keep schools safe.  

Further funding of €57.6 million has been paid by way of Covid-19 capitation to schools in September for the implementation of infection prevention and control measures for this term. This funding will cater for school costs related to hand hygiene measures, PPE requirements, enhanced cleaning supports and supervision.

At primary level, additional management resources for principal release days were provided for Principals and Deputy Principals. Teacher Supply panels were also expanded to cover the majority of primary schools nationwide, and a recent review saw an additional 200 teaching posts added resulting in approximately 680 teaching posts on these panels available to provide substitute cover in schools.

At post primary level over 1000 teaching posts were provided to support social distancing within classrooms, to provide for enhanced supervision arrangements in order to manage and prevent congregation of large groups of students and ensure the careful movement in a socially distant manner to classes for specialist subjects where it is neither practical nor possible to remain in the classroom. This funding also included additional posts for guidance provision.

Managing ventilation is one of a suite of public health measures in place to keep our schools safe.  The Department’s ventilation guidance for schools is very clear and practical on the steps to be taken by all schools to manage ventilation levels including in relation to the role of air cleaners in helping to deal with poorly ventilated areas.  The practical steps and stepwise approach set out in the guidance are sufficient to ensure good ventilation practices in school while at the same time ensuring an appropriate balance between ventilation and comfort. See www.gov.ie/en/publication/ad236-guidance-on-ventilation-in-schools/.  To date over 36,500 C02 monitors have been delivered to schools nationwide.

To provide additional support in the context of Covid-19 the payment of a minor works grant totalling €45m for primary schools and special schools, plus a once-off Covid-19 minor works funding of €17m for post-primary schools, was recently announced.

The Minor Works Grant announced can be used to address any small-scale ventilation improvement. In the event  the school's engineer/ architect recommends a HEPA air cleaner to address a poorly ventilated area, relevant technical guidance can be found here: www.gov.ie/en/publication/c6578-room-air-cleaner-guidance-for-schools/

All of these measures are remaining in place for this school year. The infection prevention and control measures in place in schools have worked very effectively to prevent and control Covid-19 in schools.  The Department will continue to work closely with public health officials and the education stakeholders in respect of the safe operation of schools during Covid-19.