Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 June 2020
748. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if childcare staff can be forced by their employer not to wear a mask when they return to their place of employment on 29 June 2020. [13575/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra753. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if guidelines have been issued to providers for staff wearing masks when childcare facilities reopen. [12878/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 748 and 753 together.
The guidance issued by my Department to providers of early learning and care and school-age childcare is based on the advice that the Health Protection and Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has published specifically for childcare settings. The HPSC advice is that additional PPE, over and above normal requirements for childcare services, is not required to be used by childcare practitioners while they are caring for children.
As per normal practice in early learning and care services, staff should wear disposable single-use plastic aprons, and non-powdered, non-permeable gloves when there is a risk of coming into contact with body fluids (such as when nappy changing). Supplies of these should be readily available in services.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) recommends the use of cloth face coverings in enclosed indoor settings where it is not possible to keep a distance of 2 metres from others. The HPSC has advised that it is generally not appropriate for childcare workers to apply this when caring for children or while engaging with parents in the presence of their children, but the NPHET recommendation on use of masks is applicable for interaction between adults in childcare settings when not caring for children.
The HPSC has advised that services should keep a small supply of surgical masks in a readily accessible place for use by a staff member who develops symptoms of COVID-19 or by staff members caring for a sick child if they feel they need to use them.
