Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

150. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the circumstances under which a primary school may be closed as a result of Covid-19 safety guidelines and multiple cases of illness and-or suspected cases of illness; the authority that makes such a decision; if her Department has oversight of or a final say in such decisions and the role public health officials play in making such decisions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27688/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre and the HSE have published guidance for managing potential cases of COVID-19 in educational settings, which includes the testing strategy within an educational facility ‘Schools Pathway for COVID-19, the Public Health approach’:

This guidance provides that the HSE Department of Public Health will liaise directly with schools regarding any actions to be taken following a Public Health Risk Assessment. In practice, this involves the HSE Department of Public Health liaising directly with the designated contact, usually the school principal of the public health instructions. These instructions are for implementation of public health measures required under Infectious Diseases legislation.

My Department has also recently published detailed FAQs for school principals in relation to the COVID-19 Testing Pathway for school communities. These FAQs will greatly assist principals to understand and manage situations as they arise in their schools and they include HSE contact details, including for out of hours for any queries that the FAQs do not address.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

151. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools that have had to shut down or close specific classes since reopening as a result of either a Covid-19 outbreak or illness among staff or pupils or insufficient staff-pupil ratios; the number of teachers her Department's attention has been drawn to as having contracted Covid-19 since the reopening of schools; and the number of pupils, parents and guardians her Department's attention has been drawn to as having contracted Covid-19. [27689/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre and the HSE have published guidance for managing potential cases of COVID-19 in educational settings, which includes the testing strategy within an educational facility ‘Schools Pathway for COVID-19, the Public Health approach’:

This guidance provides that the HSE Department of Public Health will liaise directly with schools regarding any actions to be taken following a Public Health Risk Assessment.

My Department does not collect data in relation to the specific instances of COVID-19 in the school community. There has been no instances of where schools were required to close based on insufficient pupil to teacher ratios.

The Roadmap for the Full Return to School, along with a financial package of over €375 million to support its implementation, included provisions for additional staffing for schools. This funding supported schools to employ replacement teaching staff, SNA and administrative staff and also included funding for substitution to cover temporary teacher absences.

My Department is also engaging with Education Partners on the publication of further guidance for schools in situations where a partial or full closure is advised Public Health authorities.

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

152. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if businesses that were closed during the first 13 weeks of the Covid-19 lockdown are obliged to pay their employees for bank holidays that fell during the period; if so, the reason; her plans to prevent this additional pressure being placed on businesses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27461/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The determination of whether a person is entitled to payment from their employer in respect of a public holiday is governed by the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997.  Under the Act, for each of the nine public holidays in a year, an employee is entitled to either a paid day off on the holiday, a paid day off within a month of the holiday, an extra day’s annual leave, or an extra day’s pay.  If a person is on temporary lay-off they are entitled to benefit for the public holidays that fall within the first thirteen weeks of lay-off.

Workers and employers, most of whom have been engaging for several months in reaching reasonable arrangements and accommodations in the current extraordinary circumstances, are encouraged to continue doing so in a constructive manner.  No legislative amendments to an employee’s entitlement to public holidays are currently under consideration.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.