Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2020
190. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to SOLAS increasing the fees it charges for the safe pass, and if so, the reason for such increases in view of the fact that administration costs have not gone up in the past two months. [12092/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraSafe Pass training is delivered by private training organisations which have been approved by SOLAS. Course fees are determined by these Approved Training Organisations (ATOs) and SOLAS has no role in the setting of fees for Safe Pass courses or in influencing pricing structure within the market place.
ATOs and Safe Pass tutors are required to adhere to public health requirements, in line with the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation’s Return to Work Safely Protocols, relevant HSE advice and as set out in the SOLAS’ Standard Operational Pandemic Containment Guidelines.
Under the terms of the SOLAS Guidelines, no more than ten people may participate on a Safe Pass course as from 8th June. This is a reduction from a maximum of 20 participants prior to the March 2020 closure. As public health guidelines are subject to change SOLAS’ Guidelines will reflect changes in advice as the Covid-19 response progresses.
