Emer Higgins
Question:198. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health if an association (details supplied) will be considered as an essential service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35913/20]
View answerWednesday, 11 November 2020
Questions (198, 235)
Catherine Murphy
Question:235. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if massage treatments can continue during level 5 restrictions; and if not, the rationale for the restriction on these services. [35726/20]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 198 and 235 together.
Firstly, I would like to assure the Deputies that the Government is committed to ensuring a balanced and proportionate response to COVID-19 by finding ways to implement public health measures in response to the pandemic in a way that is fair, reasonable and proportionate.
As the Deputies will be aware, in response to the rapidly deteriorating epidemiological situation across the country, Ireland has moved to level 5 of the Government’s medium-term strategy for dealing with COVID-19.
This 5 level Framework reflects a careful consideration of the impact of the introduction of restrictions on employment and livelihoods, keeping as many businesses open as possible at different stages, while acknowledging that some businesses and services are critical.
Any measures introduced at any level of the Plan are aimed at limiting the spread and damage of COVID-19, and are necessary to protect our key priorities of supporting and maintaining health and social care services, keeping education and childcare services open and protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities.
As I'm sure the Deputies can appreciate, COVID-19 spreads when individuals and groups come into close contact with one another, enabling the virus to move from one person to another. COVID-19 is infectious in a person with no symptoms, or for the period of time before they develop symptoms. The number of people allowed to gather in different scenarios in the Government's Framework are 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.
At level 5 of the Plan, unfortunately, this means closing many businesses and amenities to reduce the person-to-person contacts which allow the virus to spread. At Level 5 essential retail and essential services will remain open. Further information on essential retail and essential services at Level 5 can be found at: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/2dc71-level-5/#retail-and-services-for-example-hairdressers-beauticians-barbers
The list of essential services that can remain open during Level 5 includes therapy services provided by a member of a designated profession within the meaning of section 3 of the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (No. 27 of 2005). There are seventeen professions designated under the 2005 Act, which are encompassed in the list of essential services. These are: Dietitians, Dispensing Opticians, Medical Scientists, Occupational Therapists, Optometrists, Physiotherapists (which includes Physical Therapists), Radiographers, Radiation Therapists, Social Workers, Speech and Language Therapists, Clinical Biochemists, Counsellors, Orthoptists, Podiatrists, Psychologists, Psychotherapists and Social Care Workers.
The public health advice relating to Covid-19 is kept under continuing review by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), and it provides advice to Government in line with the current epidemiological position. The latest public health advice on these matters is available at the links below and is updated on a regular basis:
https://www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-health/
https://www2.hse.ie/coronavirus/