AQW 9265/17-22

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 22/10/2020
Answered On Date: 02/11/2020
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy what action her Department is taking to ensure that the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland is adequately resourced to undertake its enforcement role in regards to COVID-19 mitigation measures.

Answer:

Myself and my officials have been in close contact with HSENI since the onset of COVID-19. HSENI continues to play a very important role in ensuring appropriate COVID-19 mitigations have been implemented in the businesses it has enforcement responsibility for. Their staff work closely with colleagues from the Public Health Agency who are the lead organisation when dealing with a community transmissible viral pandemic such as Coronavirus.However, HSENI is facing resourcing challenges but have assured me, that despite these pressures, they are prioritising COVID-19 work and are responding to concerns and complaints that have been raised with them.

I will of course carefully consider any proposals HSENI bring forward for additional resourcing. It is essential that everyone in the workplace plays their part, whether as a manager or employee, to adhere to the public health guidelines and in doing so prevent the spread of this disease in their place of work. If this is not happening, then I would ask employees to raise any concerns directly with HSENI or their local district councils if it their concerns relate to office, retail or leisure activities.