Freezing classrooms more suited to penguins than pupils - Laois Offaly TD
Independent TD for Laois-Offaly Carol Nolan has called on Leo Varadkar to address the freezing cold conditions in classrooms across the country with windows being left open for ventilation due to Covid-19 fears.
Deputy Nolan, who is a teacher by training, was speaking during Leaders Questions in the Dáil. She challenged the Tánaiste on the urgent need to address ongoing issues around the inappropriately cold temperatures in primary and post-primary schools.
“What I am hearing from parents and indeed from schools is that the current situation regarding the freezing cold conditions in which staff, very young children and Leaving Certificate students are expected to learn is simply intolerable," she said.
"Indeed, as I put it to the Tánaiste, parents are telling me that their children are returning home with headaches or muscle pain from constant clenching of their teeth and from shivering," she said.
Dep Nolan, who is also a member of the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Further and Higher Education, pulled no punches with Minister Varadkar.
"This is a totally ludicrous and absurd situation.
"It borders on negligence to expect pupils as young as 5 years of age to begin their formative years of education in conditions more suited to a penguin than to a child.
"I accept that there is a balance to be met and the need for ventilation is clear with respect to Covid prevention measures, but it is obvious that the guidelines issued by the department last May are in urgent need of revision."
She added that She said the cold classrooms are also making it very difficult for students to concentrate and that is having a direct impact on the preparedness for the Junior and Leaving Certificate.