Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

182. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if defibrillators are installed in all offices and buildings accessible by the public in his Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19168/22]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department has a dedicated Health and Safety Unit with responsibility at Principal Officer level, whereby the objective is always to ensure a safe and appropriate working environment for all staff and visitors across our 11 buildings.

This includes the provision of specific health and safety related equipment, including at least one functioning defibrillator in each location. Where there is a higher staffing cohort across some of our occupied buildings, the Department and its Offices provides a number of defibrillators per location. The Department currently has a total of 22 defibrillators.

This important life-saving equipment, along with other key Health and Safety (H&S) specific items, are supported by regular maintenance; volunteer training to ensure the safe and effective operation of equipment; frequent H&S information provision and updates to staff and to other tenants with whom we share buildings with; and a series of site visits, local testing and H&S risk assessments per location.

The day-to-day operations of the Agencies under the remit of my Department is a matter for the respective Board and heads of the Agencies to oversee and manage.