Emergency guidelines for council staff appeal

SOME major concerns have been expressed over an apparent lack of guidelines available to some workers at Wexford County Council when dealing with potential emergency situations during the Covid-19 crisis. The issue came to the attention of Sinn Féin councillor Tom Forde last week when he was contacted by a person who needed immediate assistance to deal with a hazardous issue in their home. He was told that council staff were unable to deal with the call-out, due to current risks posed by Covid-19 and a lack of guidelines for workers on the subject. ‘It’s completely understandable that workers would not be able to enter some homes if there is a credible fear of Covid-19,’ Cllr Forde said. ‘But it’s still likely that emergency situations will arise in homes where people are isolating and where there are suspected or confirmed cases of the virus.’

‘It’s important that when an emergency situation does arise in someone’s home, they are able to receive the required support in a timely manner. We also have to ensure that the dedicated council teams who are working hard to provide essential services are protected and have the ability to carry out their work in an efficient and a safe manner.’

Cllr Forde has called on Wexford County Council to address this issue as a priority and put guidelines in place

‘These really can be life and death situations for all involved, but even more so with the current challenges that Covid-19 brings,’ he concluded.