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Covid-19 Pandemic

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 October 2020

Thursday, 1 October 2020

Questions (273)

Pauline Tully

Question:

273. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the timeframe in which he plans to lift Covid-19 restrictions for trade fairs and exhibitors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27793/20]

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Written answers

As the Deputy is aware, Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with Covid-19 was published by the Government on 15 September, 2020. This Framework sets out Ireland's approach to managing and living with COVID-19 in a range of areas over the next 6 - 9 months.

The plan sets out five levels of response, each with a number of measures designed to help us all lower COVID-19 transmission, and setting out what is permitted at that moment in time. It aims to allow society and businesses to be able to operate as normally as possible, while continuing to suppress the virus. The plan is framed to account for periods which there is a low incidence of the disease, with isolated clusters and low community transmission, through to situations where there is a high or rapidly increasing incidence, widespread community transmission and the pandemic is escalating rapidly in Ireland and globally. It recognises the need for society and business to be allowed to continue as normally as possible and is designed so that either national or county level restrictions can be applied.

Each level outlines what is permitted for social or family gatherings, work and public transport, bars, hotels and restaurants, exercise activities and religious services. The Framework was informed by expert advice and recommendations from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).

Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with Covid-19 specifically deals with the events and exhibition sector and the government will continue to work with the sector to progress the development of agreed protocols to enable the hosting of trade events in the near future.  The Deputy may wish to note that my colleague Minister of State Robert Troy TD in the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation has met with sector representatives.

The Deputy may also wish to note that the number of people allowed to gather in different scenarios in the plan is based on a review of international practice and the judgment of public health experts. It seeks to balance the risks of different types of gatherings against the desire to allow normal activities to proceed in so far as possible. It is not possible to say what circumstances will apply in the future due to the nature of the virus that has caused this global pandemic and the concerns that remain about the very serious threats to health that can be caused by Covid-19. The measures in place and the public health advice have been adapted to the changing circumstances and this will continue to be the case for the foreseeable future.

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