Schools need impartial expert support on Hepa filters, says Union

ASTI president Eamon Dennehy says that the stock of schools around the country varies from modern buildings to some “well past their sell-by date”. Picture: Dave Cullen

The president of the ASTI Eamon Dennehy has defended calls by the union for more impartial expert support for schools when choosing Hepa filters.

Mr Dennehy told Newstalk Breakfast that the stock of schools around the country varies from modern buildings to some “well past their sell-by date”.

Schools needed advice on the best way to spend the allocated funds for their specific building. 

Principals, boards of management and teachers were acutely aware of the consequences if this project was not done properly, he said.

It was important that the available funding be used to optimal effect, urged Mr Dennehy.

The objective was to keep schools open and the union was cooperating “as best we can” with the Department of Education and public health.

Talks held this week had been positive and had been conducted “in a spirit of cooperation” he said.

Everyone wanted to see the schools remain open, remote learning was “a poor second”.

The ASTI would continue to impress upon the Department the need for assistance in purchasing Hepa filters. 

There would be more meetings with public health before schools are scheduled to reopen to assess the situation.

The funding of €21,000 to €25,000 for an average school of 600 pupils should be used to best possible effect, he said.

“How do we choose?” he asked. “I’m not aware of a company that specialises in fitting filters. There’s a huge difference in the specs between schools.”

Schools needed access to a person who would instruct them on how best to use filters, a neutral operator, not a seller, he said.