Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 September 2020
46. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if there will be changes to the memorandum of understanding with Northern Ireland in respect of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23690/20]
View answerA Memorandum of Understanding was formally agreed by the Chief Medical Officers of the Department of Health and the Department of Health in Northern Ireland in April. The MOU was entered into in order to strengthen North/South co-operation on the public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The MOU has formalised and underpinned the significant engagement between the Ministers, the Chief Medical Officers, and the Departments throughout this pandemic. The MOU is facilitating greater co-operation and consistency of approach wherever possible on areas such as public health messaging, programmes of behavioural change, evidence base/modelling and contact-tracing.
My predecessor, Deputy Harris, and I have been in ongoing contact with the Minister of Health in Northern Ireland throughout this pandemic in relation to how each health system is implementing various public health responses. In addition, there has been significant engagement between the CMOs and officials in both jurisdictions. Minister Swann and I have met on two occasions to date.
Calls continue to be held regularly, including at a technical level, to facilitate information-sharing on topics such as modelling, testing and contact-tracing approaches, tracing apps and travel measures.
The MOU continues to have the support of both Administrations. The recent Plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council noted the MoU and welcomed the close and productive cooperation that has taken place between Health Ministers, Chief Medical Officers and health administrations, North and South, to deliver an effective public health response.
