Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 June 2020
353. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if a person in the business of furniture repair, who works alone, which entails calling to persons' homes, is permitted to recommence this work on 8 June 2020 under phase 2 of the Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business; the type of PPE required for this type of business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9905/20]
View answerThe Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society & Business, published on 1 May 2020, sets out an indicative path to the easing of COVID 19 restrictions and other actions in order to facilitate the reopening of Ireland’s society and economy in a phased manner. Phase 1 was introduced on 18 May 2020 and, as the Deputy is aware, the Government confirmed the move to Phase 2 of Roadmap for Reopening Society & Business from Monday, 8 June 2020. Information and advice about the restrictions that have been eased as part of Phase 2 and the measures that are now in place are available on the Government website at http://www.gov.ie/phase2.
The Roadmap specifies that decisions in relation to which actions will be taken and which public health measures might be lifted will be made in accordance with the Framework for Future Decision-Making which is as follows:
1. Before each Government consideration of the easing of restrictions, the Department of Health will provide a report to the Government regarding the following on/off trigger criteria:
a. The latest data regarding the progression of the disease,
b. The capacity and resilience of the health service in terms of hospital and ICU occupancy,
c. The capacity of the programme of sampling, testing and contact tracing,
d. The ability to shield and care for at risk groups,
e. An assessment of the risk of secondary morbidity and mortality as a consequence of the restrictions.
2. It will also provide risk-based public health advice on what measures could be modified in the next period.
3. The Government would then consider what restrictions could be lifted, having regard to the advice of the Department of Health as well as other social and economic considerations, e.g. the potential for increased employment, relative benefits for citizens and businesses, improving national morale and wellbeing etc.
4. It is acknowledged that there is also an ongoing possibility that restrictions could be re-imposed and this process will be carried out on an ongoing basis once every 3 weeks.
As is clear from the framework described above, it is the Government rather than I or my Department that will decide on any modifications to the current public health measures in place and those decisions will be informed by the status of the on/off trigger criteria and the public health advice received at the time that a decision is being made.
On 8 June 2020, new regulations signed by the Minister for Health came into operation. These Regulations, the Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 (SI No. 206 of 2020), apply from 8 June 2020 until 29 June 2020 and set out the particular services which may resume at the present time.
The services described in the Deputy’s questions are not matters within the remit of my Department. Guidance in relation to specific sectors of the economy should in the first instance be sought from the Government Department with responsibility for that sector.
