Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 March 2021
526. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the consideration she has given to ensuring that pregnant teaching staff are treated in a manner similar to HSE staff, particularly those who are over 35 years of age with a high body mass index, BMI, being considered as very high-risk for Covid-19, in the interest of parity across the employment categories; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13067/21]
View answerThe general principles to apply to the management of COVID-19 includes the safety and welfare of teachers and other school staff and the minimisation of the impact of COVID-19 on teaching and learning. The current COVID-19 arrangements in place for teachers are outlined in my Department’s Circular Letter 0049/2020.
The HSE has recently published guidance for the education sector in respect of pregnant employees and my Department is currently seeking clarifications from the HSE on this guidance. In the meantime, a pregnant teacher should temporarily continue to work remotely i.e. working from home.
The temporary arrangements for teachers during the partial re-opening period are outlined in my Department’s Information Note TC 0005/2021 for primary teachers and Information Note TC 0007/2021 for post primary teachers. On the full re-opening of primary schools due to take place on 15th March, Information Note TC 0010/2021 for primary teachers SNAs will apply.
My Department has an enhanced Occupational Health Service (OHS) in place, to provide employers with occupational health advice in relation to teacher’s fitness for work. The current 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 teacher 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 a teacher suffers from more than one health condition. The risk categorisation is comprehensive and follows the same process that is being applied across other sectors. A teacher is categorised into one of three COVID-19 risk categories. These are ‘Normal Risk’, High Risk’, and ‘Very High Risk’. The outcome of the risk categorisation is governed by the latest HSE guidance. My Department is following the same guidance that is in use across the public sector. The latest HSE guidance on the ‘very high risk’ group is at: https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/coronavirus/people-at-higher-risk.html.
Where a teacher considers the OHS "Covid-19 Health Risk Categorisation report" places him/her in an incorrect risk category, he/she may request review. The teacher may provide additional medical evidence as part of the review process.
Based on HSE advice, a teacher categorised by the OHS as ‘Very High Risk’ must not attend the workplace. However he/she remains available for work and the employer should prioritise alternative working arrangements to the maximum extent possible e.g. working from home.
The employer has a responsibility to assess the school environment using the COVID-19 Response Plan for the school, to ensure that all the appropriate HSE recommendations for safe school operations during Covid-19 are being implemented in full.
During the current period of partial re-opening of primary and post primary schools, an employer should temporarily facilitate more flexible working arrangements where a teacher has been categorised by the OHS as ‘High Risk’. A teacher who is over 60 years of age should also be temporarily facilitated by these arrangements. This may include re-assignment of a teacher to other duties within the school or facilitated to work remotely i.e. working from home. When schools fully re-open, these flexible working arrangements will no longer be available and therefore a teacher in the ‘High Risk’ group who is medically fit for work must return to the workplace.
