Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 March 2021
70. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has received and or requested a risk assessment report in relation to the closure of the construction sector as a result of public health advice. [12201/21]
View answer71. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of constructions sites and projects that remained open and or operational for January, February and March 2021, by county. [12202/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 70 and 71 together.
The Government announced that additional public health restrictions would apply under Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID-19 on 6 January 2021. The additional restrictions required all construction activity to cease from 6pm on Friday 8 January, with a number of exceptions, whcih are set out in The Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (Covid-19) (No. 10) Regulations 2020 (as amended).
The decisions in relation to the enhanced restrictions followed advice from NPHET that the situation with the virus had deteriorated to the point where there was an absolute need to reduce the level of mobility and congregation in order to reduce all opportunities for transmission. The construction sector had responded well to the challenges presented by COVID-19 during 2020 with effective protocols put in place. However, the trajectory of the disease was such that the Government took the decision that most construction should cease with effect from 8 January 2021. The Regulations in place provide for certain exemptions to allow the continuation of certain essential construction activity. The exemptions were based on decisions taken by the Government and extend beyond the remit of my own Department.
On 23 February, the Government announced that the current level 5 restrictions will remain in place until 5 April 2021, when the easing of restrictions relating to construction will be considered.
The Housing Agency is mantaining a register of projects, which have been designated as essential social housing projects under the Regulations. The table below sets out the number of projects designated in each local authority.
|
Local Authority |
No. of Projects Designated |
|
Carlow County Council |
10 |
|
Cavan County Council |
4 |
|
Clare County Council |
5 |
|
Cork City Council |
19 |
|
Cork County Council |
29 |
|
Donegal County Council |
7 |
|
Dublin City Council |
23 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown |
12 |
|
Fingal County Council |
14 |
|
Galway City Council |
6 |
|
Galway County Council |
10 |
|
Kerry County Council |
12 |
|
Kildare County Council |
31 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
7 |
|
Laois County Council |
13 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
6 |
|
Limerick City and County Council |
15 |
|
Longford County Council |
4 |
|
Louth County Council |
18 |
|
Mayo County Council |
5 |
|
Meath County Council |
10 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
11 |
|
Offaly County Council |
2 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
5 |
|
Sligo County Council |
3 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
13 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
3 |
|
Waterford City and County Council |
12 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
12 |
|
Wexford County Council |
16 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
20 |
|
Total |
357 |
