Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 January 2021
5. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Taoiseach the budgetary analysis being carried out to plan for long Covid-19 impacts in his Department and each State agency under the remit of his Department, in tabular form. [4495/21]
View answerSince March, my Department has supported the whole-of-government response to COVID-19, mainly through the Cabinet Committee and associated structures. In line with public health advice, a significant proportion of the Department’s staff have been working effectively from home since March with the required level of supports in place. Staff attending the workplace in person are providing essential services to support the continued effective operation of Government and the necessary measures to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for all staff have been implemented. This work will continue to be delivered within the Department’s expenditure provision.
Additional expenditure provision was made in 2020 and 2021 to ensure a coordinated whole-of-government public communications response with broad media reach which will continue to be run for as long as is necessary to inform on crucial public health guidance.
In addition, the National and Economic Social Council Secretariat, within its own expenditure provision, has published seven Working Papers on COVID-19 across a range of issues and will continue to advise and inform future policy responses.
