Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 October 2020
313. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht the advice and position of sporting clubs and organisations in County Dublin to travel outside of the county to participate and play sport while the county is in phase three of Living with Covid-19 National Framework; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28385/20]
View answerUnder Level 3 of the Government’s Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with Covid-19, no matches or sports events are permitted other than those which are specifically exempted under the Recovery and Resilience Plan. The exemption applies countrywide to elite and professional sport, inter-county GAA, ladies football or camogie matches and any national senior club championships that are already underway. Senior in this context is to be understood as meaning adult. Where these exempted events are taking place in a county operating at Level 3, they must be held behind closed doors with no spectators permitted. The sporting bodies have also been encouraged to postpone or reschedule events and fixtures impacted by a county or region moving beyond Level 2, where possible.
Domestic travel guidance in the Recovery and Resilience Plan states that for Level 3 counties, people should stay in the county apart from work, education and other essential purposes, if appropriate. Travelling outside a Level 3 county to participate in or spectate at matches or sports events is generally not permitted. However, for those individuals and teams who are in an exempted category, it is permitted to travel to participate in a match or sport event. Persons who travel for this purpose are strongly encouraged to avoid all social contacts and to minimise their personal contacts outside the field of play.
As the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, Sport Ireland has issued guidance to the sport sector on the practical implications for sport of the various Covid-19 restrictions that have been introduced to date. The guidance issued by Sport Ireland is informed by and aligned with public health guidance developed by the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive.
