I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 86, 240 and 258 together.
I am committed to a policy of maintaining a safe and healthy working environment for my staff, as required under the Act. To this end, my Department have, in consultation with staff, prepared a written statement specifying the manner in which safety, health and welfare will be secured. The statement sets out my Department's general policy on safety, health and welfare and specifies the organisational arrangements for carrying out that policy. Provision has been made in the statement for on-going consultation with staff on matters related to safety and health. The main forum for such consultation will be a joint safety committee which is in course of being established. Consultation will also take place at each work location with safety representatives who have been appointed by staff.
The management authorities of schools, colleges and education agencies are the employers of their staffs and as such responsibility for implementation of the provisions of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989, rests primarily with them.
In order to increase awareness of the provisions of the Act, 1989, and in order to standardise safety statements as far as possible, my Department propose to issue a circular to school authorities to assist them in preparing such statements.
The Health and Safety Authority has produced guidelines on safety statements. These guidelines are designed as an aid to employers and the self-employed in drawing up a safety statement and a copy of the guidelines will be sent to all schools.
Additional information is also available on request from the Health and Safety Authority — Headquarters — Davitt House, Mespil Road, Dublin 4 or any of its regional offices.
I understand that the Irish Vocational Education Association has consulted with insurers and legal advisers in relation to the 1989 Act and has organised seminars and briefing sessions for the chief executive officers and clerical/administrative staff of vocational education committees in relation to the matter.
The three teacher unions are making joint arrangements following discussions with my Department for the training of safety representatives. This involves, initially, training a number of tutors (teachers) who in turn will train a number of other teachers to act as safety representatives in schools. Fifteen teachers have already been trained as tutors and my Department have agreed to allow paid substitution for the days on which the tutors are engaged in training.
On 20 September 1991, the Department of Education, in co-operation with the National Industrial Safety Organisation (NISO) and through sponsorship from the Church and General Insurance plc., issued a video on safety in school science laboratories, to all second level schools and third level colleges.
In so far as the university sector is concerned, the Higher Education Authority met the college buildings and safety personnel in order to assess progress on the implementation of the provisions in the Act and the authority is satisfied that the colleges have been actively implementing the legislation. The authority will continue to monitor the situation and keep my Department informed of progress.
The replacement or upgrading of sub-standard buildings is being addressed at all levels through an extensive building programme which is proceeding within the limits of the available resources.
Safety has always been a crucial consideration in the design, construction, improvement and fitting out of educational facilities.
