Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 September 2020
23. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration if his attention has been drawn to recent reports that delays in Covid-19 testing is having an impact on the ability of childcare providers to adequately provide services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22636/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have witnessed a degree of anxiety on the part of professionals working in the childcare sector, when they have to be tested for Covid-19, regarding the time it is taking them to get tests in some instances, and then to attain the results. This is worrying for themselves personally, but also where they are reasonably confident of a negative test outcome, as they may be out of circulation for a considerable period, which is understandable. What is the Minister’s perspective on establishing a protocol that would allow for the earliest possible testing to be carried out in sectors that are dealing with children, specifically, schools and the early years care providers?
I thank the Deputy. First, I commend the early learning and childcare sector on the fact that 94% of services that normally open during the summer did so again this year. This is despite the very many challenges Covid-19 created.
Our preliminary information is that the level of term-time services reopening over the past two weeks is also extremely high. This involved a major commitment by providers and childcare professionals to children and their families. I applaud their work in that context.
It is important to note that testing and contact tracing are matters primarily for the Department of Health and the HSE. The HSE has advised that turnaround time on testing and tracing is well in line with international practice.
I fully recognise that the timeliness of testing and tracing is important for our childcare services, where specific adult-child ratios are mandated by the regulations. With this in mind, I have raised the issue of prioritised testing for the childcare sector directly with the acting Chief Medical Officer. My officials have also raised it with the HSE. The HSE advises that it is difficult to prioritise any particular group and its aim instead is to speed up testing for all sectors and citizens.
My Department will continue to keep this matter under review and will continue to liaise with the Department of Health and the HSE as required. My Department is also liaising with officials in the Department of Education and Skills to ensure approaches in both sectors are aligned.
We have some reports from the sector of recruitment difficulties but we have no clear indications of widespread staff shortages due to testing delays. Both myself and my officials will continue to engage regularly with representatives of the sector to ensure that we have up-to-date information and we are looking at any evidence of any difficulties that might be experienced by the sector.
I thank the Minister for his reply. I appreciate that there is an ongoing engagement between him and NPHET as to the prioritising of testing for those people who are working with children. I reiterate the call that such priority could be given. Nobody in society will oppose the idea of prioritised testing where people are working with children.
I also seek the Minister's perspective on the fact that there is no sick pay scheme in place for workers within the childcare sector. The absence of such a sick pay scheme has a bearing on whether somebody will decide to stay in employment and it poses a certain risk. Given that the Minister is proactive in respect of engaging with NPHET on the prioritised testing, I would be grateful to know whether he is giving consideration to, for instance, SIPTU's campaign for a sick pay scheme for those people currently working within the sector.
I thank the Deputy. On the point about testing, I will continue to engage with the acting Chief Medical Officer and the HSE. Again, I am working in the context of NPHET advice and that objective to increase the general level of testing but also to get the response in the tracing time down as quickly as possible. The statistics out today show that, certainly in the past week, we are upscaling the amount of testing that is taking place nationally, which is welcome for all sectors of society. However, I take on board the Deputy's point about the particular concern to ensure we have measures in place for children in terms of their vulnerability.
I take on board also what the Deputy said as regards the issue of sick pay. In the first two or three weeks in the role I met representatives of SIPTU. They did not flag the sick pay issue with me that day. I know it is coming in a submission and I look forward to engaging with that submission.
Again, I welcome that the Minister is proactive in respect of engaging with the stakeholders. We know that 79% of early years professionals do not have a sick pay scheme at work. People may not make the link between testing for Covid-19 and a sick pay scheme but if there is a sick pay scheme in situ that is embedded within the system, it gives comfort largely to parents who we are talking about across the sector. There is a Labour Party Bill on a sick pay scheme for all workers but for this sector in particular, it gives comfort to the professionals working within it that they can avail of such a scheme if it were available. As I said, 79% of early years professionals do not have a sick pay scheme at work. If we are talking about continuing professional development, CPD, and embedding more formalisation of the sector in Irish society, this has to become one of the bulwarks for ensuring that workers are looked after.
I thank the Deputy. We are all aware of the high turnover in that sector and statistics released yesterday highlighted that. I know they are for 2015 but, nonetheless, they are concerning as regards the overall sector. This is probably one element of creating the uncertainty that exists in the sector. We are undertaking a workforce development plan and, as the Deputy said, greater professionalisation and giving those entering the workforce here the idea that there are long-term careers and that they will be supported is important, and sick pay is obviously a key element of that support. I might seek another meeting with SIPTU specifically on the issue of sick pay again. What it brought to me at that earlier stage was of a broader nature but I am certainly willing to look at it, obviously within a wider budgetary context under which we are all operating.
It is the sting in the tail.
That is the sting in the tail but it is the context in which we know we are all operating. It is to ensure that we have those solid protections for childcare professionals who, as we have seen over the summer, have gone above and beyond to get childcare reopened during that period.
