Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 June 2020
747. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if HSE guidelines for the reopening of childcare facilities from 29 June 2020 prevents parents visiting those childcare settings prior to the reopening on 29 June 2020; if he will allow parents to inspect the new arrangements of childcare facilities due to health and safety protocols implemented by the provider; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13569/20]
View answerThe public health guidance which was published by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre on 29 May is based on two key principles:
- That services should take steps to ensure individuals with symptoms do not enter the
- service, and
- That services should take steps to reduce the chance of spread of the virus in case an
- infectious person, without symptoms, enters the building.
With these principles in mind, services should seek to restrict any unnecessary visitors to the
service. Where a service considers it necessary for a parent or guardian to enter the service, e.g. to
help settle in a new child, social distancing between the parent/guardian and other adults
should be observed as far as possible.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) recommends the use of cloth face coverings in enclosed indoor settings where it is not possible to keep a distance of 2 metres from others. While it is generally not appropriate for childcare workers to apply this when caring for children or when engaging with parents in the presence of their children, the NPHET recommendation on use of masks is applicable for interaction between adults in childcare settings when not caring for children.
