2903. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the industrial action of staff at Oberstown Children Detention Campus; if this has been resolved; the safety measures put in place for staff since industrial action took place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57516/26]

The industrial action at Oberstown Children Detention Campus has not yet been fully resolved, but active, intensive engagement is ongoing. Most recently management and representatives from the Fórsa trade union returned to conciliation talks on Monday 20th and Thursday 23rd July.

Typically, industrial action is paused while formal discussions are underway. However, in this instance, work-to-rule action remains in place concurrently with negotiation.

Staff in Oberstown are supported with access to an on-site psychologist, peer support workers, employee assistance services and structured after-incident reviews, forming part of a systemic approach to support well-being in a challenging workplace.

All staff working with young people in Oberstown receive training in suicide prevention, self-harm mitigation, and incident management.

Oberstown has adopted the ISO45003 certification on psychological health and safety at work.

Furthermore, Oberstown maintains an ISO45001 Health and Safety Management system on campus.

The Health and Safety Officer in Oberstown works closely with all the staff and all incidents on campus are followed up as soon as possible.

These measures demonstrate a commitment to ensuring the highest possible standards of staff safety, well-being, and professional support.

I would like to be clear that the safety and well-being of the children, and of the staff who support them, is and will remain the highest priority.

In the context of the current work-to-rule action in Oberstown, I wish to assure the Deputy that management have put in place contingency arrangements which are being monitored closely to ensure that essential services continue and that standards of safety for both children and staff are upheld.