Thread: An Oireachtas staff member had to change the route they walked to their office because a TD on their floor never wore a mask.
“It is especially difficult when the individual is an elected member of the Dáil and the prospect of confronting him … is an intimidating one.”
Oireachtas staff members tasked with monitoring compliance with Covid-19 public health guidelines are taking “abuse and hostility”.
Many ignore the advice, point to somebody else and ask why they’re being singled out, while some are simply “hostile or dismissive”
A frankly despicable incident on escalators at Convention Centre.
TDs asked to socially distance as they're leaving. One said: “Sure what difference does it make, we haven’t got it.”
They then changed their mind: “We’ve all had it at this stage. It’s been here since Christmas.”
No screens, no masks, no social distancing.
“Any time I have passed through their areas of Leinster House 2000 there seems to be several persons in the office, close together and no sign of screens, masks or distancing."
Five hours in the Convention Centre – twenty separate breaches recorded, and this was the tip of the iceberg.
Masks under the chin, jostling of shoulders, with one of the Covid-19 compliance officers being asked who they were and what their role was.
A plea for help from the Covid-19 compliance team working at Convention Centre trying to monitor the public health guidelines.
“The disrespect we are receiving when we are risking our health & lives trying to provide a level of protection for Members and Staff is unacceptable.”
The Oireachtas are told again of the unacceptable disrespect Covid compliance staff were on the receiving end of.
“There is a cohort of Members in particular who simply do not care what we say to them … or how often we say it to them.”
“Non-compliance is rampant” while staff are being met with “abuse and disdain” when the try to do their jobs.
The team warn that the Oireachtas will be in significant difficult if there is a “super-spreader” event within Leinster House or the Convention Centre.
Members repeatedly ignored advice with one making a joke out of it.
A staff member said: “I told her that we were only two people and that we needed help in managing this.”
They didn’t get that help.
An incident where political staff from one party were repeatedly asked to stop moving furniture around a dining area.
The group pretended to do what they were asked and then simply moved back the chairs once the compliance team members were gone.
Another incident where somebody in Leinster House told compliance staff “to go report him and he didn’t care”.
Same problems with people moving chairs from the designated spaces crop up over and over again.
A member of staff deeply concerned after spending 41 hours in the Dáil Chamber in a single week.
“These hours of attendance are set to be repeated for a number of weeks into the future and they pose a serious risk of my exposure to the virus.”
A catalogue of issues in Leinster House. Members not using sanitiser or wipes when swapping seats.
Meeting ran over time. Up to date seating plans were not available while seats continued to be moved in the coffee areas.
Another typical evening of chaos in the Convention Centre.
These records had been sought under FOI by @RightToKnowIE.
A small number were released but access to most was refused.
Oireachtas said release of the records would make it even less likely people would adhere to public health advice & that they contained personal information.
We appealed this to the Information Commissioner.
The Oireachtas has now decided to release some of the records [this thread] but with names of those involved withheld.
We want identities of the Covid compliance team to be redacted … but not those responsible for breaches.
The Oireachtas has asked us to consider withdrawing the case seeking the names of those flouting public health guidelines.
We don’t think we should. It’s up to the Information Commissioner now.
To support our work in making such records public, visit patreon.com/right2know
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