Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the sentiment of what the Deputy said. That is one of the reasons we provided €30 million in the school reopening plan for personal protective equipment, PPE. PPE is critical for the role of the SNA and for the SNA to carry out his or her functions not just adequately but safely. Often the SNA moves from room to room and he or she needs a medical-grade mask when he or she is within 2 m of a child with special needs.

I understand what the Deputy is saying about the rigidity of the process, but, as I said in my initial contribution, the person can ask Medmark Occupational Healthcare to review the person's status. I imagine that Medmark Occupational Healthcare should take into account the views of the board of management and the principal of the school to sustain that status. It may well be the person is very high risk as opposed to high risk and, therefore, is not in a position to work in the normal course of events.

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