School mitigation measures
Deputy Gannon criticises the lack of air filtration, CO2 monitors, antigen testing and contact tracing in schools. The Taoiseach says the priority is keeping schools open by following public health advice and argues the approach has worked.
I ask Members to please adhere to the rules of the House. I call Deputy Gary Gannon.
Comment on this
Rather than feigning outrage at opportune times, I have tried to be consistent in my engagement with the Taoiseach on the reopening of schools. On five occasions since September, I have used this session to ask for stronger mitigation measures in our schools. I ask again where the air filtration devices and the CO2 monitors in every classroom are, as per the recommendation of the joint committee in January 2020. Where are the antigen tests that were recommended in July 2021 by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, ECDC? Why has contact tracing not been reintroduced since it was removed disastrously on 27 September this year? Rather than answering those questions, today, the Minister for Education went on national radio and moralised about birthday parties and play dates. We need effective mitigation measures and we need information clearly communicated. That needs to happen immediately to keep our schools open and to keep them safe.
Comment on this
We do, and we need to accept public health advice on keeping our schools open. The constant thread and consistency from Government in keeping our schools open is accept the public health advice. It has worked, actually. The public health advice was received in respect of contact tracing. It has not been disastrous either way.
Comment on this
I put it to the Deputy that he cannot have it both ways. His party took the correct approach from the outset of the pandemic. I agreed with his party leader, Deputy Shortall, who said, at the time, that we must be guided by public health advice, no matter what, because if we jettison that, we will end up with a very inappropriate and wrong response to the pandemic. If we look at countries around the world that jettisoned public health advice, we can see where they ended up in terms of mortality rates and the disasters that followed. We may have our tensions, people may give out, and there is a need for robust debate. I understand all of that. However, suffice it to say, we have been guided by very good public health advice from the HSE in respect of schools and we will adjust and change as appropriate. There will be an antigen programme for schools in a selected and targeted way.