Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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806. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the basis on which teachers deemed by medical consultants to be very high risk are being reclassified as high risk by a company (details supplied); if the medical reasons for this reclassification are being provided to those teachers; if not, if she will make them available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1617/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The most up to date guidance in respect of the higher risk categories, for the education sector staff was published by the HSE in July 2021. As with all other guidelines around public health measures, my Department has been led by expert medical advice provided by the Government through the HSE and other relevant public bodies. This HSE guidance was reviewed by these medical experts in December 2021.

My Department’s Circular Letter 0042/2021 details the current working arrangements and leave arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic for teachers and special needs assistants employed in recognised primary and post primary schools. This Circular should be read in conjunction with Information Note TC 0001/2022 which was published on 18th January 2022.

The HSE advice on the ‘very high risk’ group is at link: www2.hse.ie/conditions/covid19/people-at-higher-risk/overview/. Having considered the most up to date HSE advice, if a teacher considers they are at very high risk of serious illness from contracting COVID-19, they may apply to the Occupational Health Service (Medmark) for a COVID-19 health risk assessment to be carried out. Having considered the medical information provided with the OHS Risk Assessment Questionnaire, the OHS will provide the teacher with a ‘COVID-19 Health Risk Categorisation Report’ which advises whether they are at a very high risk of serious illness from contracting COVID-19. The COVID-19 health risk categorisation assessments are performed by a team of qualified and experienced specialists in occupational medicine. Available medical evidence, including reports from treating consultants as well as vaccination status of SNAs, are considered during the OHS COVID-19 health risk categorisation assessment process.

A teacher who has been categorised by Medmark and considers that the OHS ‘COVID-19 Health Risk Categorisation Report’ places them in an incorrect risk category, may request a review. Medmark will re-evaluate the medical evidence provided. The teacher may provide additional medical evidence as part of the review process. In a situation where the review outcome is that the COVID-19 health risk categorisation remains the same, a further review will only be undertaken, where additional medical evidence indicates there has been a change in the teacher’s medical status or where there is a change in the HSE guidelines for the ‘high risk’ group.

My Department has always been guided by public health advice in relation to appropriate COVID-19 infection prevention and control measures in place in schools. These measures protect students, their parents and school staff and are very effective to help prevent and control COVID-19 in schools. My Department will continue to work closely with public health officials and the education stakeholders in respect of the safe operation of schools during COVID-19.