Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 October 2020
543. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health the membership of the National Public Health Emergency Team and its associated subgroups; if membership details have changed since the publication of the second edition of the National Public Health Emergency Team governance structures document on 26 June 2020; and if so, the members involved in such changes [30226/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy is advised that the NPHET’s membership is multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral in line with best international practice. The NPHET consists of representatives from across the health and social care service including the Department of Health (DOH), Health Service Executive (HSE), Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), and others with relevant expertise in health and/or other related matters. Since June 2020, two changes have occurred in respect of the HSE’s representation on the NPHET.
Attendance at the NPHET is recorded in the minutes of each NPHET meeting, published at:
https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/691330-national-public-health-emergency-team-covid-19-coronavirus/#nphet-governance
The work of the NPHET has been supported by a number of Subgroups, the Chairs of which are members of the NPHET. Of the NPHET’s Subgroups, only the Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group (IEMAG) Subgroup continues to meet. All of the NPHET's other Subgroups have met their original terms of reference and have been realigned into the appropriate policy and operational functions of the Department of Health or other Departments, organisations, or bodies. The IEMAG Subgroup will continue its work in anticipation of building up additional statistical, analytical, and disease modelling capacity within the HPSC.
Details of the membership of the NPHET and its associated Subgroups are referenced in the NPHET’s Governance Structures document, available here:
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/de1c30-national-public-health-emergency-team-nphet-for-covid-19-governance-/
The above governance document will be reviewed to reflect the changes in relation to subgroups outlined above, and the establishment of the COVID-19 oversight group by Government on September 15th.
