Covid-19: Classroom air filters 'would cost about £40m'

Providing air filters for every classroom in Northern Ireland would cost an estimated £40m, according to the education minister.

Michelle McIlveen revealed the figure during a Stormont debate on the pressures facing schools due to Covid.

MLAs were recalled to the chamber early after a petition from Sinn Féin backed by the SDLP and Alliance.

The motion accused the minister of a "lack of planning" to address staffing problems.

It also called on her to introduce air filters in schools.

But some Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) assembly members were critical of what they said was a "pan-nationalist front" motion which was based on "political opportunism".

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Introducing the motion, Sinn Féin assembly member (MLA) Pat Sheehan said the recall had been prompted by a range of concerns.

"There's the lack of adequate cover for teachers who are absent either through the pandemic and Covid 19 or through sickness or having to care for other family members, the issue of ventilation, contingency plans for examinations, contact tracing and other potential mitigations," he said.

"Two years into this pandemic she has no plan, she had made no proposals, she has brought nothing to the executive and she has not asked for money for air filtration systems.

"That's her responsibility as education minister and she has totally failed this basic test."

Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan said there is a lack of adequate cover for teachers

Some other assembly members voiced similar criticisms, but a number of DUP MLAs hit back.

Mervyn Storey said some parties were "only interested in a quick headline or the display of political opportunism at its very worst".

His party colleague Robin Newton said: "This pan-nationalist front signing this motion - Sinn Féin, SDLP, Alliance are the co-ordinating group - rather than during the pandemic wanting to work with the minister, has sought to criticise, for political advantage, Minister McIlveen or Minister Weir."

'Sectarian argument'

But that brought an angry response from SDLP assembly member Daniel McCrossan.

"We're accused of signing a pan-nationalist motion," he said.

"Well just for the member's record, Mr Speaker, all children in Northern Ireland are affected, all teachers, all schools, it doesn't matter what walk of life.

"So don't try and turn something as fundamental as children's education into a sectarian argument or bunfight."

People Before Profit assembly member Gerry Carroll also criticised the DUP.

"There's been some talk of a pan-nationalist front today," he said.

"For me the DUP are deploying the same old tactic when they're tanking in the polls or when the minister's under criticism.

"Blame the bogey fenian, the pan-nationalist front or whatever else."

Michelle McIlveen said air filters were not a magic solution to ending Covid transmission in schools

Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) assembly member Jim Allister, meanwhile, said that "some of the people who brought this motion today are the very same people who couldn't get our schools closed quick enough".

Other MLAs, including Alliance's Kellie Armstrong and Chris Lyttle and the Ulster Unionist Party's (UUP) Robbie Butler raised the issue of ventilation in schools.

A government-funded trial is currently taking place in England into the use of high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters in schools.

Air filters or cleaning units filter pollen, dust and other micro-organisms - including coronavirus - out of the air.

But the trial in England - run by the University of Leeds - is looking at how effective they are in classrooms and the practical issues of getting the units installed.

'Magic solution'

Ms McIlveen said that the Department of Education had estimated how much it would cost to provide air filters in every classroom in Northern Ireland.

"This motion portrays air filters as the magic solution to ending Covid transmission in schools," she said.

"This is over simplistic and in no way reflects the complexity of the issue.

"At a conservative estimate it would cost around £40m to install them across 20,000 classrooms."

"If the evidence supports such investment, I will have no hesitation in bidding for such funds to the executive and the minister of finance.

"However, I will not move ahead of the evidence and recklessly spend public money."

The Sinn Féin motion was backed by a majority of assembly members, but it will not automatically lead to any changes in schools policy by the department.

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