Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am certainly not aware of any joint order. Obviously, the HSE would be fully informed and I fully endorse the position of the HSE in respect of this matter.

There is no joint order between the Republic of Ireland Government and the Government of Northern Ireland. There has been excellent co-operation between myself and my counterpart, the Northern Ireland health Minister, Mr. Robin Swann, who is a very decent and hardworking person. Along with the two chief medical officers, we have had excellent engagement in what is called the Quad. The engagement between myself, the Tánaiste, the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, the First Minister, deputy First Minister and the Minister for Health in the North is really good. There is an memorandum of understanding, MOU, but there has not been a joint order, to the best of my knowledge. I am happy to clarify that for the Deputy.

On the 2 m versus 1 m issue, as has been made clear by the CEO of the HSE, Mr. Paul Reid, the health service will operate within the public health parameters and public health advice. The Deputy is correct that there is a difference between 2 m and 1 m in terms of the impact on capacity in hospitals but, again, we do not want to end in a situation where a person in a hospital bed ends up getting sick with Covid.

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