I propose to take Questions Nos. 872, 873, 874 and 875 together.
The “Report of the COVID-19 Rapid Testing Group” was chaired at my request by the Government’s chief scientific adviser, Professor Mark Ferguson, and published on 1 April 2021.The report made a number of recommendations for sectors outside the health sector, including sport. These are a matter for the Ministers and Departments with responsibility for the sectors concerned.
The event described must also be considered at this time in the context of the Level 5 restrictive measures which currently remain in place. Any measures introduced at any level of the COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021 – the Path Ahead are aimed at limiting the spread and damage of COVID-19 and are necessary to protect our key priorities of supporting and maintaining health and social care services, keeping education and childcare services open and protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities.
The Government announced a slight easing of restrictions from 12 April in recognition of the significant impact that the extended period of Level 5 restrictions is having on people. The focus of this easing of measures is on enabling more outdoor activities in order to improve the health and wellbeing of society. The situation will be subject to ongoing review taking account of the evolving epidemiological situation, the impact of the reopening of priority services, and available evidence in relation to vaccine deployment, uptake and effectiveness. The NPHET and the Government will consider the position again at the end of this month and it is anticipated that a roadmap for the further easing of measures over the coming months will be agreed.
Significant progress has been made on suppressing the virus due to the huge effort of our citizens. By working together, we have saved lives and limited the impact of the disease on society in Ireland. We all must continue to do everything possible to avoid the virus spreading.