Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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376. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the Covid guidelines for primary schools, including if it is required to keep windows open; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3353/23]

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.

The Department’s approach on good ventilation in schools, as part of a layered strategy of protective measures to control the spread of the virus, remains fully consistent with the Expert Group recommendations on good practices, the use of portable CO2 monitors and the targeted deployment of HEPA air filter devices where necessary for poorly ventilated areas. Additionally, the 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 in January 2022 and general advice on preventing the spread of COVID-19 in non-healthcare settings published by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre in November 2022.

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.

A copy of the guidance is published at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/ad236-guidance-on-ventilation-in-schools/

It is important that schools find a balance between comfort levels and ventilation. The Department’s guidance aims to assist schools achieve this balance. 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 following points are noted in the guidance:

- The guidance provide to all schools advised that “the over-arching approach for schools should be 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. It is worth noting that windows do not need to be open as wide in windy/colder weather in order to achieve the same level of airflow into the classroom. This will assist in managing comfort levels in classrooms during periods of colder weather.

- Similarly ensuring that at the end of the school day each evening, the windows in each room are opened (as wide as is practical and safe, while also considering security issues) for at least 15 minutes to ventilate the room fully will ensure that the classrooms are ventilated from the night before and this does not need to be repeated prior to class in the morning. During this first class of the school day windows should, weather conditions permitting, be partially opened (as per guidance in this document) to keep the room fresh and prevent stuffiness and condensation etc. This is in addition to and complements the end-of-day ventilation described above.

- Achieving fresh air by having a number of windows partially opened as required rather than one window fully open can help to maximise the use of window driven natural ventilation distribution across the room without causing discomfort. In colder weather any local chilling effect can be offset by partially opening the windows nearest to and above the radiators.

- As part of managing comfort levels in classrooms, schools should check that their boilers operation temperatures are set at the recommended manufacturers’ guidance levels to maximise the available heat to the school.

- In addition, heating should operate for extended periods during colder weather to counteract, as best as possible, the impact of windows being open (partially when classrooms are in use and fully when not in use) in order to maintain an appropriate balance between ventilation and comfort levels

Deployment of the above measures can be supplemented and enhanced by the use of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) monitors. These monitors can provide a useful general indication that areas/ rooms may not be adequately ventilated and can enable occupants to become familiar with the impact of activities, outdoor weather and window openings on levels of good ventilation within a room.

The Department considers the above practical steps and stepwise approach are sufficient to ensure good ventilation practices in school while at the same time ensuring an appropriate balance between ventilation and comfort.