Local TD blasts “toothless” HSA as businesses continue to “flout guidelines”

A Southside TD says there is a “lack of action” to tackle businesses flouting the public health guidelines by opening when they shouldn’t or requiring people to come to the office when they could work from home.

Dublin South West TD Paul Murphy says workers have been in touch with his office raising concerns about their employers breaching the guidelines, but he has been told by the Health and Safety Authority that there is nothing they can do about it.

In a letter to Deputy Murphy the HSA says “the Health and Safety Authority does not have a role in determining if a business is essential or not, nor can we require a business to close if operating outside the list of essential services currently in place.”

However Paul Murphy TD  says this is “simply not acceptable.”

“There are workers in non-essential workplaces and workers who could work from home that are being told by their boss that they have come to work as normal, despite the public health advice.

“These workers are now being told by the Health and Safety Authority that there is nothing they can do to actually enforce these guidelines.

“While ordinary people are doing all they can to follow the advice, it seems big businesses are being allowed to skirt the rules without consequence.

“While pressure is rightly building on the government to implement mandatory quarantine, if employers are allowed to flaunt the lockdown rules, it will undermine the effort being made by the public.

“The government must take action now to empower the HSA to inspect workplaces and fine employers who are not allowing employees to work from home, where it is possible for them to do so.”