Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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471. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number and location of all HSA inspections that have taken place in direct provision centres; the findings of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9230/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The national Return to Work Safely Protocol is designed to support employers and workers to put measures in place that will prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. The Protocol should be used by all workplaces to adapt their workplace procedures and practices to comply fully with the COVID-19 related public health protection measures identified as necessary by the HSE and the Department of Health.  It is operating in parallel with existing workplace health and safety statutory requirements. 

The Health and Safety Authority is the lead Agency in relation to oversight and compliance with the Protocol. It is open to any worker, employer or other stakeholder to submit a query or a complaint to the Health and Safety Authority through its Workplace Contact Unit (WCU) by lo-call 1890 289 389 or by email wcu@hsa.ie. This helpline is confidential and every contact, whether a query or a complaint, is acknowledged and receives a reference number for tracking. Each complaint is initially followed up with the relevant company or employer by the WCU. If there is no response, or the response is not satisfactory or in the event of receipt of multiple or serious allegations at any one time, an inspector will follow up with the employer. The inspector may then decide that a pre-arranged or unannounced inspection is warranted.   

The service provided by the WCU is confidential, and the outcome of individual inspections is also confidential.  It would not, therefore, be appropriate to release information in relation to individual complaints or locations.   

However, the Health and Safety Authority has confirmed that among the almost 5,000 contacts which the WCU received since 01 March 2020 were a small number of contacts in relation to Direct Provision Centres. The process for following up on these contacts is as outlined above.