Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 December 2020
594. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if the business practice of cold-calling in person to persons' homes is permitted during Covid-19 restrictions; if it is provided for within the levels for the plan for living with Covid-19; if so, the levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44473/20]
View answerOn Tuesday 15 September the Government published ‘Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19’. This Plan outlines our medium-term strategy for COVID-19 and sets out a Framework of 5 Levels which outline the broad measures which will apply depending on the level of the virus at any given time. It will be possible for different regions and counties to be at different levels, depending on prevailing epidemiological situation . The Plan is designed to help everyone – individuals, organisations and sectors – to better understand, anticipate and prepare for the measures that might be introduced to contain transmission of the virus. The purpose of restrictive measures and associated regulations is to restrict movement so as to contain transmission of the virus.
At Level 1,2 and 3 of the Plan cold calling in person depends on the service being offered, but is generally permitted having regard to specific regulations in place. Regulations are available here: https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/1f150-view-statutory-instruments-related-to-the-covid-19-pandemic/
At Levels 4 and 5, only essential services are permitted and these are listed online (https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/c36c85-covid-19-coronavirus/) and in relevant regulations (most recently in Statutory Instrument 442 (Level 4) and Statutory Instrument 448 (Level 5)). At Levels 4 and 5 cold calling in person should not take place. While certain trades people are permitted to carry out works in homes at Level 4 and Level 5 this should be on the request of the homeowner and in accordance with the relevant Regulations.
