Results 81-100 of 9,091 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (28 Jul 2020)

Steven Matthews: 449. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding leaving certificate students that are studying individual subjects externally in order to qualify for specific course requirements (details supplied); if her attention has been drawn to concerns among students that the recent announcement indicating a delay in the results being announced will negatively impact on them...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 Jul 2020)

Steven Matthews: 450. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding social distancing in secondary schools if they are to return in September 2020; the timeline for her Department to provide return to work and school protocols to students and teachers that will offer assurances with regards to their safety. [18219/20]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (28 Jul 2020)

Steven Matthews: 766. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding inspections of direct provision centres in County Wicklow (details supplied); and if inspections have recommenced. [18215/20]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (30 Jul 2020)

Steven Matthews: 766. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if clarity can be provided to self-employed persons particularly in the arts sector with regard to the pandemic unemployment payment (details supplied); and if it will be necessary for persons to turn down those one off offers of temporary work in order to continue to receive the pandemic unemployment payment. [20327/20]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (30 Jul 2020)

Steven Matthews: 867. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if clarity can be provided to self-employed persons particularly in the arts sector with regard to the pandemic unemployment payment (details supplied); and if it will be necessary for persons to turn down those one off offers of temporary work in order to continue to receive the pandemic unemployment payment. [20326/20]

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Steven Matthews: I thank the witnesses for their participation and submissions today. I have two questions on testing in meat processing plants. First, I understand that the meat processing plants will be ramping up the testing in an attempt to curb the spread of the virus in these settings. We are looking at 6,000 plus workers tested weekly at approximately €150 a test. Who will be responsible for...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Steven Matthews: Is it correct that the cost of that would fall on the taxpayer?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Steven Matthews: Will the meat industry be contributing to the cost of that testing, Mr. Carroll?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Steven Matthews: My second question is on the use of rapid diagnostic testing or rapid antigen test. That would reduce both the response time and the cost of testing workers. If these tests were used, workers could be tested on a more frequent, almost daily, basis. Has that method of testing been explored as an option, and if not, why has it not been looked at?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Steven Matthews: Okay, but no rapid testing has been considered.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Steven Matthews: Yes. However, is it the case that rapid testing and a quick turnaround with results would find clusters faster?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Steven Matthews: Normally, there is a hazard reporting process for employees in the workplace. Can these hazard reports be submitted anonymously? Is there a formal process for following up and investigating hazard reports in the meat processing plants which the HSA has inspected?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Steven Matthews: Notifiable incidents have to be reported to the HSA. In the 39 meat processing plants which were inspected by the HSA, is there a process for employees to submit a hazard report anonymously if they have concerns, specifically about workplace practices relating to Covid restrictions?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Steven Matthews: I appreciate that. Is Dr. McGuinness aware if there was an opportunity for employees to submit a hazard report anonymously relating to Covid in those 39 inspections?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Steven Matthews: I will follow up with a written question to the HSA.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

Steven Matthews: I thank the witnesses for their attendance today and their submissions to the committee. I thank their team and all the HSE staff for their huge work effort over the past six months. I have a question on the reopening of health services. It was expected that the health services roadmap would be published before now. Has that happened and is there a full service in place yet for...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

Steven Matthews: I appreciate that. A colour-coded alert system is meant to replace the plan for the phased reopening of the economy. How will this affect the health service? Will services need to be shut down or scaled back if we move to a stricter colour-coded alert process?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

Steven Matthews: If we have a localised cluster in a school or another location, particularly in rural areas or locations that are distant from test centres, are there mobile units that can be deployed and, if so, how quickly can that be done to reduce the amount of travel time for people going to test centres?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Reid. In terms of the target turnaround time for testing of 2.2 days or one day less than in a hospital setting, is there any part of the process we could improve to reduce that time of 2.2 days, either in terms of the collection time, treatment time or the process of communicating the test results? Is any work being done to decrease that time?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Reid and the Cathaoirleach.