Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 February 2022
724. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the studies and data that have been relied upon by NPHET to form the basis for the statement that Covid-19 still poses a risk to public health and that the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 can be expected to continue (details supplied). [6469/22]
View answer725. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the published studies and precise recorded data that NPHET relies on to ground the statement that the Omicron variant is a variant of concern. [6470/22]
View answer727. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if NPHET and his Department are prepared to be transparent with the public and publish all data, studies, assessments, reports and other documentation or global public health advice relied upon to continue to impose restrictions on the Irish populace in this manner. [6472/22]
View answer755. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the studies and data that have been relied upon by NPHET to form the basis for the statement that Covid-19 still poses a risk to public health, that the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 can be expected to continue, that Omicron is unlikely to be the last variant of concern Ireland will have to face and that the global public health risk remains very high; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6555/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 724, 725, 727 and 755 together.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) for COVID-19 provides guidance, support, and expert advice on the development and implementation of a strategy to manage COVID-19 in Ireland. It advises Government on the public health aspects of what is a cross-Government response to COVID-19. In conducting its work, the NPHET has regard to national and international guidance and epidemiological assessment, including from the ECDC, CDC, and WHO.
The NPHET is committed to transparency in how it conducts its business. Directly following each meeting, the recommendations of the NPHET are communicated by letter to the Minister for Health for consideration, and these recommendations are used to assist Government in informing its decisions in responding to the public health emergency.
Actions and recommendations arising from the NPHET meetings are communicated publicly and are announced through press releases. NPHET letters are available here: www.gov.ie/en/collection/ba4aa0-letters-from-the-cmo-to-the-minister-for-health/.
In addition, the Department of Health and NPHET Members provide regular media briefings to this end. There is also a dedicated webpage on the Department of Health website, where agendas, minutes of previous meetings and papers are published as soon as practicable, once approved by the NPHET: www.gov.ie/en/collection/691330-national-public-health-emergency-team-covid-19-coronavirus/.
The NPHET provided its most recent advice to Government on the 20 January. The letter to the Minister which is available online sets out the NPHET's assessment of the epidemiological situation in Ireland at that time and includes detailed data. It also refers specifically to the WHO's most recent global rapid risk assessment at that time, conducted on 7th January 2022.
