Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 September 2020
433. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if public health HSE or his Department have the mobile numbers of principals in primary and post-primary schools nationwide in the event of contact tracing taking place when schools are closed, that is, at the weekend. [23854/20]
View answer434. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education when schools were first contacted and informed that they had to have a summary of key information to assist public health HSE in its public health risk assessment. [23855/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 433 and 434 together.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre and the HSE have published guidance for managing potential cases of COVID-19 in educational settings which includes the testing strategy within an educational facility ‘Schools Pathway for COVID-19, the Public Health approach’
www.gov.ie/en/publication/a0bff-reopening-our-primary-and-special-schools/.
My Department contacted all schools on 27th August to advise of the publication of the schools pathway document for management of COVID-19 within the school community. A key to this response is the ability of the public health professionals to contact schools where a suspected case arises. In certain instances this may include out of hours, in the evening or at weekends.
My Department wrote to school principals on the 8th September requesting a mobile number for a designated contact, preferably the School Principal, who can be contacted in the event of a suspected case. My Department has also requested schools to have a summary of key information to assist Public Health in their Public Health Risk Assessment ready to be provided on request.
