Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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362. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of ventilation enhancements in schools; the amount of funding allocated for ventilation enhancements to date under the Enhanced Minor Works for Primary Schools and the Exceptional Minor Works Grant Funding for Post-Primary Schools, respectively; the number of schools that have received funding for ventilation enhancements to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2938/22]

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. The updated guidance for schools is also fully in line with the most recent guidance on non-healthcare building ventilation during COVID-19, published by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre November 2021.

To provide additional support in the context of Covid-19 the payment of a minor works grant totalling €45 million for primary schools and special schools, plus a once-off Covid-19 minor works funding of €17 million for post-primary schools, was issued in December 2021. All schools in the free scheme have received their grants.

Given that each school setting is different, individual schools are best placed to decide how best to use this funding to address their particular needs. Specialist advice/assistance of a Chartered Engineer or Registered Architect is an important source of support for schools. This will help ensure that appropriate solutions are being put in place to address ventilation issues.

In the case where a school has difficulty engaging a Chartered Engineer or Registered Architect the Department can assist, with a dedicated ventilation team available to support school principals in this regard. Schools that identify inadequate ventilation in a room can utilise their minor work grant or apply for emergency works grant assistance to address ventilation enhancements where the minor work grant does not cover the full cost of the works required.

To date 19 schools have applied for additional funding under the emergency works scheme to assist with ventilation. Of these, 11 have been approved, one was returned to the school to review the scope of the application, two were incorrectly classified as ventilation related and assessed separately, two were rejected as the application form was not fully completed and three are currently being assessed by a member of the Department’s technical team.