Ms Patricia King:

I might assist in answering the Deputy's question by saying that in the national Return to Work Safely Protocol there is a section which deals with what happens if a worker contracts Covid-19 and it is identified. The employer has a duty to ensure there is an isolation room - all employments should have an isolation. The employee is asked to go to the isolation room and contact is made with the HSE on the public health issue which will then direct the employer. The employee concerned is "encouraged", which is the word used in the document, to contact his or her own GP and there will then be an engagement between the HSE public health people and the GP on how best to deal with this. There is an immediate isolation process that kicks in and every protection is offered to ensure the employee is looked after, and to ensure prevention and protection for the rest of the employees. That is laid out very succinctly in the protocol but I would offer this to the Deputy-----