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Covid-19 Pandemic

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 September 2020

Wednesday, 16 September 2020

Ceisteanna (141)

Neale Richmond

Ceist:

141. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health the number of inspectors from the Health Service Executive, Health and Safety Authority and Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine deployed to monitor whether pubs are adhering to the Covid-19 guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24374/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, in respect of number of inspectors from the Health Service Executive deployed to monitor whether pubs are adhering to the Covid-19 guidelines.

I understand from the Department of Business Enterprise and Innovation that following the launch of the Return to Work Safely Protocol in May, the Health and Safety Authority assigned 67 field inspectors to inspect on foot of the Protocol following its publication and the economy reopening on 18 May. Since then, the Authority has taken the lead role in co-ordinating the cross-Government response to checking workplace compliance with the Protocol. The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation has advised that as part of the cross-Government approach, inspectors from the Environmental Health Service (HSE), the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine are also involved in checking compliance against the Protocol. They have also advised that the Authority is continuing to keep under review and reprioritise its inspection resources so that we can maximise numbers available for field inspection to check compliance with the Return to Work Safely Protocol and also to ensure the Authority’s existing legal obligations are met across all of our many mandates. The Health and Safety Authority continues to complete inspections across high risk sectors, checking compliance with occupational safety and health statutory requirements and compliance with the return to work safely protocol. In addition, the Authority’s inspectors carry out reactive inspections across all sectors where they have been assigned accidents or complaints, which may include businesses such as pubs and restaurants.

The number of inspectors from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine deployed to monitor whether pubs are adhering to the Covid-19 guidelines is a matter for my colleague the Minster for Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

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