Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 March 2021
815. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will consider extending the five=kilometre travel limit for those seeking to exercise and who will not be engaging or interacting with anyone during this exercise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11364/21]
View answerAs you will be aware, the public health restrictions at level 5 of the Government's Framework Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19 will remain in place until 5 April 2021, when a further review will be conducted. The Framework continues to provide an appropriate mechanism to guide decision-making, and it will continue to be supplemented by more detailed sectoral guidance in relation to measures that apply at each level of the Framework.
On 23 February, 2021, the Government published COVID-19 Resilience & Recovery 2021: The Path Ahead which sets out how in-school education and childcare services will be reinstated in a phased manner from 1 March, with staggered return throughout March to be concluded after the Easter break on 12 April. Information on the revised plan is available here – www.gov.ie/en/publication/c4876-covid-19-resilience-and-recovery-2021-the-path-ahead/?referrer=http://www.gov.ie/ThePathAhead/.
The public health advice in relation to Covid-19 is kept under continuous review by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), by my Department and by the Government, taking account of the evolving epidemiological situation and available evidence in relation to vaccine deployment, uptake and effectiveness. However, public health advice is that it is too early to say how and when other restrictions should be eased given current uncertainties.
At level 5, people are asked to stay at home as much as possible unless they have a "reasonable excuse" for leaving, which includes for exercise with 5 km of home. Further information is available here - www.gov.ie/en/publication/2dc71-level-5/#travel-restrictions.
S.I. No. 701 of 2020 Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (No. 10) Regulations 2020 and S.I. No. 4 of 2021 Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (No. 10) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (as amended by S.I. No. 29 of 2021) sets out the current public health restrictions at level 5. Statutory Instruments relating to the Covid pandemic are available here - https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/1f150-view-statutory-instruments-related-to-the-covid-19-pandemic/
