Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:757. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if a medically vulnerable SNA at a school (details supplied) can be facilitated with working from home. [32918/20]
View answerTuesday, 3 November 2020
Questions (757)
Written answers
The general principles to apply to the management of COVID-19 includes the safety and welfare of employees and the minimisation of the impact of COVID-19 on teaching and learning.
The current COVID-19 arrangements in place for special needs assistants (SNAs) are outlined in my Department’s Circular Letter 0049/2020.
In accordance with HSE advice, an employee in the ‘high risk’ group who is not ill must attend the workplace. The employee in the ‘high risk’ group should take extra care to practice social distancing and hand hygiene. The use of face coverings and personal protective equipment may also be considered where maintaining social distancing is difficult.
All schools are required to have a School COVID-19 Response Plan in place. The plan outlines the arrangements in place to ensure a safe workplace for all employees. Those deemed ‘high risk’ and ‘normal risk’ can attend the workplace safely where the school is implementing the COVID-19 Response Plan and the health advice for schools. There is an obligation on the employer to discuss the school’s COVID-19 Response Plan with the individual employee and ensure that all appropriate risk mitigation measures are in place for the protection of employees in the school. In addition, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre recently issued advice in respect of SNAs, which sets out clearly how a safe working environment can be maintained for SNAs in schools - ‘Guidance for Schools regarding Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) supporting children and young people with additional care needs in the context of COVID-19' .
Every school has at least 1 Lead Worker Representative whose role is to represent staff and who may consult with, and make representations to, school management on any issue of concern in relation to COVID-19, including issues relating to at risk groups.
My Department has an enhanced Occupational Health Service in place to provide employers with occupational health advice in relation to special needs assistants’ fitness for work. The OHS provider has a process in place for school staff with health concerns about their risk of serious illness from contracting COVID-19, through workplace attendance.
A detailed on-line questionnaire is submitted by the employee to the OHS, along with detailed medical evidence to provide clarity with respect to the medical complaint(s) in question. All of this information is reviewed by the OHS specialist occupational health physician, including the combined and cumulative risk that can arise when an employee suffers from more than one health condition. The risk categorisation is comprehensive and follows the same process that is being applied across other sectors. An employee is categorised by the OHS into one of three COVID-19 risk categories. These are general population risk, higher risk, and very high risk. The outcome of the risk categorisation is governed by the HSE guidance.
Where an employee considers the OHS COVID-19 risk categorisation places him/her in an incorrect risk category, a review can be requested by the employee where the OHS will re-evaluate the medical evidence provided. The employee may provide additional medical evidence as part of the review process.