Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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90. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment the reason to date the Health and Safety Authority has only carried out two return to work safely protocol inspections in educational facilities. [34919/20]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Ensuring that the education sector is a safe learning and working environment for all is a priority for this Government.

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is the lead agency in relation to checking compliance with the Return to Work Safely Protocol. However, inspectors from other Government Departments and State Bodies, including the Department of Education, are also carrying out Protocol compliance inspections in their own particular sectors.

Under a Memorandum of Understanding between HSA and the Department of Education inspectors from the Department of Education are the main inspectorate body carrying out Protocol compliance inspections across the education sector, having received training from the HSA in relation to such inspections.

I have been informed that the Department of Education Inspectorate is currently carrying out a programme of SSPS (Safe and Sustainable Provision of Schooling) visits, initially in a trial phase, in primary, post-primary and special schools. In addition, I understand that the Department of Education has also issued detailed guidance to educational settings to support the provision of a safe learning and working environment for both students and staff. The guidance is based on the advice provided by public health authorities, including the NPHET, and the HSA and provides key messages to minimise the risk of COVID –19.

From the 18^thMay to the 30th October 2020 over 18,500 inspections assessing compliance with the COVID-19 RTWSP have been carried out by the various Government Departments and State Bodies.