Holly Cairns
Ceist:1279. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if garden centres are allowed to operate under levels 4 and 5 of the Living with Covid plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32905/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 3 November 2020
Ceisteanna (1279)
Freagraí scríofa
You will be aware that the situation regarding COVID-19 has been, and continues to be, an evolving situation. COVID-19 is still having a major impact both here in Ireland and elsewhere.
On Tuesday 15 September the Government published ‘Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19’. This new Plan outlines our medium-term strategy for COVID-19 and sets out a Framework of 5 Levels which outline the broad measures which will apply depending on the level of the virus at any given time. It will be possible for different regions and counties to be at different levels, depending on prevailing epidemiological situation . The Plan is designed to help everyone – individuals, organisations and sectors – to better understand, anticipate and prepare for the measures that might be introduced to contain transmission of the virus. The intention is that Departments and sectors will provide guidance for specific sectors and activities in line with the 5 level framework.
Under Level 4 of the Plan, essential retail and businesses which are primarily outdoors are permitted to open and therefore at Level 4 garden centres are permitted to open.
At Level 5 of the Plan, only essential retail is permitted to open and all other retail is closed and therefore at Level 5 garden centres are not permitted to open.
The public health advice relating to Covid-19 is kept under continuing review by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), and it provides advice to Government in line with the current epidemiological position. The latest public health advice on these matters is available at the links below and is updated on a regular basis:
https://www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-health/
https://www2.hse.ie/coronavirus/
https://www.gov.ie/en/
Question No. 1280 answered with Question No. 1264.
Question No. 1281 answered with Question No. 1269.