Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 December 2020
103. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if it will be ensured that all the requirements of the Work Safely Protocol issued on 20 November 2020 are implemented with particular reference to the contents of section D3 (details supplied) in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42600/20]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that my Department has national policy responsibility for health and safety in the workplace. We have been working closely with the Health and Safety Authority and across Government to ensure that the “Work Safely Protocol” is up to date and aligned with the latest public health advice and Government’s COVID-19 guidelines.
Internally, my Department has a dedicated Health and Safety (H&S) Unit with responsibility assigned at Principal Officer level. The H&S Unit works closely with our accommodation team and across our 11 locations nationally to ensure that we are adhering to national health and safety requirements and legislation. In most of these locations the Department shares the premises with other Government Departments, agencies or private sector bodies and works collaboratively to ensure best H&S practice locally.
Whilst the vast majority of Departmental staff have been working remotely in keeping with Government guidance in March, some staff are required to attend the workplace to undertake essential work. This is determined by senior management to ensure continuity of essential services for the public but at all times operating safe social distancing and complying with all other public health requirements. To assist in this some of the “free” office capacity arising due to remote working is being used as much as is reasonably practical and work is being organised to ensure physical distance between staff onsite is maintained.
Since the outset of the pandemic, the Department and each of our Offices, responded swiftly to implement a range of measures to minimise the transmission of COVID-19 to staff and visitors who may, on occasion, be onsite in our buildings. This includes: the provision of additional hand sanitising kits, wipes and PPE, enhanced cleaning regimes, signage and guidance for staff when occupying shared and communal areas, and where feasible, undertaking works to adjust the physical environment of our occupied buildings - all to support social distancing of staff.
The Department also established a cross-Department COVID-19 Working Group to oversee various issues arising as a result of the pandemic. The Working Group meets fortnightly developed our own “Working Safely” protocols ensuring its alignment, and updating as required, with the public health advice and the national “Working Safely Protocol".
A range of H&S and COVID-19 specific information is communicated frequently to all staff and is available on our internal intranet. Staff and visitors are reminded of their personal responsibility to adhere to ongoing protocols.
