Noel Grealish
Ceist:1094. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health the Government’s plan or strategy to facilitate the return of office workers to city centres for the next 12 months. [32204/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 3 November 2020
Ceisteanna (1094)
Freagraí scríofa
Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19which was published by the Government, sets out Ireland's approach to managing and living with COVID-19 in a range of areas over the next 6 - 9 months.
This Plan outlines our medium-term strategy for COVID-19 and sets out a Framework of 5 Levels which outline the broad measures which will apply depending on the level of the virus at any given time. The Plan is designed to help everyone – individuals, families, organisations and sectors – to better understand, anticipate and prepare for the measures that might be introduced to contain transmission of Covid-19.
As you will be aware Ireland is now at level 5 of the Plan. At level 5 you should work from home unless you are providing an essential service for which your physical presence is required. The Return to Work Protocol https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/22829a-return-to-work-safely-protocol/ published earlier this year, advises that office work should continue to be carried out at home wherever practicable. You may also wish to note that it is for the employer to decide, in the first instance, whether remote working arrangements are practicable in meeting the business’s needs and to decide on what work can be done from home, while at all times taking account of the latest Public Health advice.
If you are providing an essential service, the Return to Work Protocol sets out in very clear terms for employers and employees, in all business sectors, the steps that they must take on an ongoing basis to mitigate against the transmission of COVID-19 in the workplace. The Protocol advises that employers must provide for physical distancing across all work activities and this may be achieved in a number of ways including conducting meetings as much as possible using online remote means. Where face to face meetings are absolutely necessary, the length of the meeting and the numbers attending should be kept to a minimum and participants must maintain physical distancing at all times.
Further information on the public health measures currently in place, including information in relation to Work under the different Levels, is available at https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/resilience-recovery-2020-2021-plan-for-living-with-covid-19.