Teachers’ union seeks safety audit of schools in Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal
A teachers’ union is seeking a Covid-19 safety audit of schools in Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal.
As the three counties moved up to Level 4 public health restrictions, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) said they want to ensure that schools had enough resources to be fully compliant with public health advice.
TUI president Martin Marjoram said it could not be overstated that the risk posed by the pandemic was a daily source of extreme stress and anxiety to its members.
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He said many members had serious underlying health issues themselves or else shared a household with a person or people with underlying health issues.
“Many school buildings were barely fit for purpose before ever the challenge of Covid-19 arose. Ventilation and heating problems will now become critical as we move towards colder weather.
“Many schools, particularly those based in older buildings, will require new ventilation solutions and monitors to signify when air exchange is required. The required resourcing must be provided.”
He also noted comments of several Government ministers in recent days, stating their intention to keep schools open at all potential levels of restrictions.
Mr Marjoram said the union had already sought detailed clarification on why it would be safe for schools to remain open at Level 5 if the rest of society was effectively locked down.
“We will insist on consistency, clarity and certainty for our members. We have stated at all times that we will be guided by the public health advice, but a detailed rationale based on the most up-to-date evidence is a necessity.”
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