Mr. Gerry Light:

The Deputy has raised an important issue. It is one of the many issues on which we have had to come together to ensure the proper and full protection of workers as they go about their daily working lives. Ventilation is critically important. It has come into even more acute focus with regard to another group, in respect of which I will participate tomorrow, namely, the hospitality sector.

It is particularly important from the perspective of our bar worker members. It is a key issue, as are vaccinations and all the other measures that go into keeping workers safe in the workplace.

To put the situation in perspective, I will outline the height of the risk curve that retail grocery workers took from day 1 when we were all thrust into the great unknown and had to make things up as we went along. Two return to work protocols have been agreed through ICTU, employer groups and the Government. The focus must be on ensuring that we not rest on our laurels following their introduction. There must be a commitment from everyone, including employers. The unions need to tool up workplace representatives to ensure that we have properly trained Covid workplace representatives, as well as our traditional health and safety representatives, in order that there is a mechanism whereby if an issue arises, it is dealt with immediately.

Ventilation is important and the work on it is evolving. This issue not only applies to individual stores, but also to some shopping centres where there are mass congregations. From our perspective and that of ICTU - I know this from our direct involvement in ICTU - this is something that we will look into in greater detail and keep an acute focus on it. We will consider any new information that comes to light, for example, that to which the Deputy referred, and rely on it if appropriate.