The government has announced a €10 million fund for improved ventilation in pre-school and childcare facilities, including the purchase of high-efficiency particulate air (Hepa) filters, in response to the current wave of Covid-19 infections.
An antigen testing programme will also be rolled out to the sector, whereby parents will be asked to do the tests on their children if there have been two or more Covid-19 cases in their class. The system will be based on that implemented in primary schools last month. The antigen tests will be free.
The government also hopes to alleviate staff shortages in the sector by temporarily drafting in third-level students.
The Department of Children said the objective of the one-off exceptional grant programme was to “support services to improve ventilation given the need to mitigate risks associated with Covid-19”. It said Hepa filters “will be among eligible items under this programme”.
However, the grants — ranging from €1,500 for facilities with less than 50 children to €4,500 for those with more than 100 children — may be insufficient to fund Hepa filters for all rooms, based on the government’s own cost estimates. Micheál Martin, the taoiseach, told the Dail last week that Hepa filters for primary and post-primary classrooms would cost between €1,500 and €1,800 each.
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In recent days the government has made a U-turn on Hepa filters, which trap airborne particles including those which can carry the virus. Stephen Donnelly, the minister for health, had previously argued that CO2 monitors and natural ventilation were sufficient to control the spread of coronavirus in classrooms. However, the government has bowed to pressure to support schools to purchase the devices, with an expanded programme of grants planned for primary schools to fund uptake.
The most recent data on infection rates from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre states that 3,369 children aged four and under tested positive for Covid-19 in the fortnight to December 9, representing 5.3 per cent of all cases and up 13 per cent from 2,968 cases in the previous fortnight.
The department said third-level students pursuing qualifications in early years education and care could be released from their studies until the end of January “to assist with the Covid-19 response on a temporary basis”. The pandemic has exacerbated staff shortages in the low-paying, largely privately owned childcare sector.
Earlier this month, the government abandoned plans to cut the employment wage subsidy scheme, which is pumping €34 million a month into the childcare sector. Providers have said they rely on wage subsidies to be able to implement the “play pod” system of keeping children in small groups to limit virus transmission.
Roderic O’Gorman, the minister for children, said: “Early learning and childcare providers have risen to the challenge of adapting to the current Covid-19 restrictions. To further support their efforts and make these critical services safer for children, their families and the early learning and childcare workforce, I am pleased to announce this grant programme to improve ventilation.
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“I am also announcing temporary employment arrangements for students, where colleges will — where possible — facilitate students of early learning and care education programmes to work in settings until the end of January 2022 to relieve current staff supply pressures owing to Covid-19.”
