Mr. Andy Pike:

The guidance on the use of face masks is very vague. It has been a long journey since the previous Minister for Education and Skills basically dismissed any concept or notion of using PPE in schools to where we are today. We still have another stage to go to make sure that staff in the schools sector have the same minimum level of protection when providing personal care as staff in the community health sector and the HSE have where the issues are more or less the same. It is not rocket science. They should be given face masks. They cost about 30 cent. They are readily available. People should be given some basic advice regarding infection control. Fórsa as a trade union has given our members detailed advice but, quite frankly, it is not our job to do that. It is something the Department should do.