Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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311. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the sick leave taken in the current academic year can be restored to a teacher (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12348/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to advise the Deputy as follows:

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.

The medical advice received by my Department provides that where an employee has been categorised as "high risk", they may attend the workplace using extra care to practice social distancing and hand hygiene and the use of protective equipment.  In such circumstances, there is no facility for special leave with pay for those categorised as "high risk" and any absences due to medical reasons will be recorded under the Sick Leave Scheme.  

Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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312. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a grade three school secretary can only move up to grade four if their school has 40 full-time staff; if so, when this criterion was devised; the reason for this condition; if she will review this criterion in order that these school secretaries are not left behind in terms of pay and related issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12370/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The process referred to by the Deputy is outlined in a letter to school management bodies on 12 August 1998. The issue was part of the agreement on the pay and conditions  of school secretaries, considered under Clause 2 (iii) of the Programme for Competitiveness and Work, and subsequent revisions of this agreement have been agreed through standard union engagement, most recently in 2020.  Additional amendments to this agreement can only be achieved through engagement and collective bargaining agreements between the Government and the public service unions.

For clarity, the rationale of linking grading to the calculation of the number of WTE teaching staff that a school is entitled to reflects the fact that this calculation relates strongly to the number of students enrolled in a school and other supports as outlined in the agreement. It is not the actual number of staff in the school which underpins the grading.