Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. I again acknowledge his appreciation of the work schools are undertaking on the ground to engage with and meet the needs of pupils as they arise. With regard to the specific question on the categories of high-risk and very high-risk school staff, in the first instance, adjudications on such cases are independent medical adjudications carried out by persons separate from the Department of Education and Skills. It is very important that we are clear on that. With specific regard to the very high-risk category, 750 applications by persons to be categorised as very high-risk have been made. To date, 547, more than 73%, of these people have been given that status. I appreciate the point the Deputy has raised in respect of those who did not meet those criteria. Of course, as the Deputy has said, there is an opportunity for such cases to be looked at again. Such appeals will be adjudicated upon by an independent panel of four occupational health physicians. Those who are asking for their cases to be adjudicated upon have the opportunity to present previous medical evidence and additional or new medical evidence which they feel may add to their case. It is our expressed view that, where a case is on the border between the high-risk category and the very high-risk category, the panel is to err on the side of caution and deem such cases to be in the very high-risk category. I want to be clear that the mechanism is in place and there is a facility for cases to be looked at again. I reiterate that it is a case of an independent medical analysis by persons separate from the Department of Education and Skills, which is as it should be.