I received an email this morning from Pamela Goss, the wife of Mr. Fintan Goss who left for work on Monday, 16 October last and did not come home. He died on his way from work in Dundalk during Storm Ophelia. The Goss family have many questions about what happened on the day in question. What are the rules or guidance for employers in respect of dangers during a status red weather warning? What guidelines were issued to employers, the self-employed and those working in the public sector for turning up for work on Monday, 16 October 2017? Much has been made of the correct decision to close every school in the country in the interests of safety. However, there was widespread confusion before, during and after Storm Ophelia as to the position regarding private sector employers and other parts of the public sector.

The Taoiseach conveyed the condolences of the country and Government to the Goss family and stated the most important issue was to ensure no one else loses his or her life. He also pleaded with people to put safety first. Those are fine words but they are of little comfort to the Goss family because putting safety first was interpreted differently by some employers and managers. Fintan Goss is dead because someone decided he should stay at work while others in the company were sent home earlier in the day. The resulting confusion and lack of clarity are the reasons Fintan Goss's children have no father, his wife Pamela has no husband and the Goss family has lost a son and brother. I will give the Taoiseach a copy of the email I received. I ask him to answer my questions.

I thank Deputy Fitzpatrick for raising this important matter and extend again my condolences to Mr. Goss's family in County Louth. Yesterday, the Cabinet discussed the response to Storm Ophelia. Although I believe that, in the round, people accept the storm was well managed, there are always lessons that can be learned and lessons can be learned from the deaths that occurred. A report will be done and submitted to Cabinet in January 2018. One of the issues it will examine is how we can better define what public safety warnings mean. It is acknowledged that there is a very clear mechanism in place for closing schools and public officers. There was, however, confusion regarding what private sector businesses and self-employed persons should do. We acknowledge that there is a shortcoming in this area from which we intend to learn. I hope we will give some clarity on this issue on which we should have an answer by January.