Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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1067. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of HEPA filters he anticipates will be provided by the recently announced €10 million grant programme; if antigen tests will be provided with the funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62980/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I announced a programme of further support in the form of the December 2021 Covid Response Programme for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC). €10 million was secured to support services improve indoor ventilation and provide mobile HEPA air filtration systems.

The objective of the grant programme is to support services to improve natural and mechanical ventilation indoors, on a once-off and exceptional basis given the need to mitigate risks associated with Covid-19 in line with the current national public health guidance.

The amount of grant which is paid to each ELC and SAC service is based on the number of individual children registered in a service on one or more DCEDIY programmes on the November 24th 2021

Applications opened on the 16th of December 2021 and originally closed on the 7th of January 2022, but due to lower than expected take up have reopened with a new closing date of 31st January.

Eligible expenditure for the ventilation grant is being extended to include face masks of FFP2 standard..  Providers who have already claimed a ventilation grant will be able to claim for face masks, the extension will not just apply to new applicants. 

Full details of the changes will be sent to providers in the coming days.

It is not possible to determine the number of HEPA filters that will be provided with this grant. Service providers can also utilise the grant to purchase items and services that facilitate greater outdoor activities and improve natural ventilation indoors in line with the current National Public Health Strategy. Allowable expenses include such measures as rental of ventilation equipment, CO2 monitors, outdoor wear for children and staff and toys suitable for outdoor use.

My Department encourages all providers to apply for this grant, which will help to keep staff and children safe by improving infection control measures.

Antigen tests are not provided for through this funding. My Department, with the support of the HSE, implemented an antigen testing programme for ELC and SAC services on 14th December 2021 whereby parents and staff can apply to the HSE for free antigen tests where there is a positive Covid-19 case in their pod.