Seán Crowe
Ceist:480. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the guidelines that Intreo offices have been issued in relation to the sanitisation of electronic signing equipment used by the public. [39884/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 1 December 2020
Ceisteanna (480)
Freagraí scríofa
My Department has continued to provide services to our customers, including the new pandemic unemployment payment, throughout the pandemic. We have, at all times, followed public health advice and the Return to Work Safely Protocol.
While we have kept our Intreo centres open we have implemented restricted opening hours and strict sanitation protocols and we have encouraged our clients, as far as possible, to use our online services.
Electronic signing equipment is currently only in use during the process of allocating a PPSN to a customer or when a customer is applying for a PSC card. In both of these situations the guidance which has been issued is to ensure that customers sanitise their hands on entering the public office and sanitise their hands again at the counter immediately before signing the electronic pad.
Sanitiser dispensing units are available at the entrance and at the counter. Customers are encouraged to wear face coverings and these are provided to customers who do not have them.
We have also contracted for additional cleaning services and cleaners in all our public offices and these services have been instructed to clean the public areas regularly during opening hours. This includes attending to the electronic signing equipment.
Signing for Social Protection payments was suspended on March 12th until further notice and this is still the case.
Weekly casual dockets are still required although customers now have the option to register to certify their unemployment via MyWelfare.ie or use a drop box.