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

I appreciate the sentiment expressed by the Deputy and the fact that he has a particular person in mind in this regard. I stress the fact that, in addition to the Covid-19 response plan, which each school has, schools also have at least one lead worker representative whose role is to represent staff and people in the predicament the Deputy outlines. The role of an SNA in particular is crucial. We have grown the amount of SNAs by 78% since 2011 and one of the things we want to ensure is that every SNA is in a position to look after children with special needs, so it is of particular importance to me that they are adequately protected. Deputy Ó Laoghaire mentioned medical grade masks. Obviously, SNAs should be wearing those or surgical masks where they are within 2 m or a proper visor of suitable quality for a healthcare setting, if it is not practical to wear a mask for any reason. That should protect them from getting infection or infecting somebody else.

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