As the Deputy is aware, the Government confirmed the move to Phase 2 of Roadmap for Reopening Society & Business from Monday, 8 June 2020. Information and advice about the restrictions that have been eased as part of Phase 2 and the measures that are now in place are available on the Government website at http://www.gov.ie/phase2.
I would like to draw the Deputy's attention to the Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (Covid-19) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 (SI No. 206 of 2020) signed by me, which came into operation on 8 June 2020 until 29 June 2020. The new Regulations provide for the unwinding of certain restrictions provided for in the earlier Regulations and also provide for continued restrictions for some business and services.
The purpose of this regulatory approach to the implementation of the public health framework is to inform a slow, gradual, step-wise and incremental reduction of the current public health social distancing measures, in a risk-based, fair and proportionate way with a view to effectively suppressing the spread of COVID-19 disease while enabling the gradual return of social and economic activity. The Government, informed by the public health advice provided by the Department of Health, has decided to take a gradual re-opening of society and the economy as risks to human health and life caused by COVID-19 remain and lifting the measures in place carries considerable great uncertainty and risk.
Regulation 7(1) of the Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (Covid-19) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 provides that the occupier, manager, or any other person in charge shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that members of the public are not permitted, or otherwise granted, access to a premises, or to a part of such premises, where a relevant business or service is carried on or otherwise provided. The relevant businesses or services to which this provision applies are listed in Schedule 2 of the regulation. The businesses and services described in Schedule 2 which are not permitted to open at this time include the following:
Swimming pools, indoor fitness facilities and sports facilities, other than insofar as they are necessary for athletic use and training by persons specified in Regulation 5(4)(a) or the coaching and support personnel of such persons.
The Deputy may wish to note that Regulation 7(1) is a penal provision for the purposes of section 31A of the Health Act 1947 and provides for penalties of up to a fine of €2,500 or six months’ imprisonment, or both for breach of the Regulations.
The Government also agreed to bring forward actions in the remaining phases of the Roadmap and plan for four phases rather than the five originally indicated. Work is underway to consider how best to achieve this aim and more information will be made available in the coming weeks.
