Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Question Nos. 8 to 12, inclusive, together.

The Cabinet committee on Covid-19 was re-established by the Government on 29 June to continue to assess the social and economic impacts of the potential spread of Covid-19 and oversee the cross-Government response. The committee, which I chair, meets as regularly as required and has met on five occasions since 29 June, most recently on Friday last, 18 September, to consider the latest advices from NPHET in advance of a full Cabinet meeting. The date of the next meeting has not yet been set.

A senior officials group, chaired by the secretary to the Cabinet committee and from my Department, supports the special Cabinet committee and ensures a dedicated, high-level, cross-Government focus on the Covid-19 response.

A range of social and economic issues which cut across many Departments has been considered and progressed through both the senior officials group and the Cabinet committee on Covid-19, leading to the development of Ireland's national plan in response to Covid-19, the Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business as well as Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with Covid-19, which was launched last week.

As Members will be aware, following a Government decision on Friday afternoon, County Dublin was moved to level 3 of the framework for restrictive measures for a period of three weeks while the other 25 counties remain at level 2. A package of economic measures was also agreed by Government on Friday to include a 30% top-up to the restart plus grant to help support those affected through the three-week period. This will be available immediately through the normal application process at an estimated additional cost of €30 million. Applications from County Dublin will be prioritised for the wide range of existing loan and voucher schemes available to assist businesses affected by Covid-19 through the July jobs stimulus and other Government initiatives.

Specifically within the level 3 measures outlined for Dublin, a maximum of six visitors from one other household are permitted within a person's home, restaurants and cafes, including bars and pubs serving food, must close indoor dining but can remain open for takeaway and delivery and for outdoor dining for up to 15 people and weddings are reduced to 25 guests with the exception of existing arrangements for weddings last weekend only, which were allowed to proceed with up to 50 guests.

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The medium-term plan, Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with Covid-19, which the Government launched last week, frames Ireland's approach to managing and living with Covid-19 for the coming six to nine months. It aims to bring some clarity to help everyone to plan over the medium term and includes a framework for restrictive measures, which is a risk management strategy for the next six to nine months. The plan was drawn up by officials on a cross-departmental basis co-ordinated by my Department and the Department of Health. It was considered at length by the Cabinet committee and approved by Government.

The framework is designed to allow individuals, families, businesses and services to better understand, anticipate and prepare for the measures the Government might introduce to stop escalation of the transmission of the disease. It recognises the need for an incremental, stepwise approach which takes account of the societal and economic impacts of the response to infection outbreaks. These measured responses are aimed at ensuring that the impact of restrictive measures on the lives of people in Ireland will be kept to the minimum necessary.

The plan is framed to account for periods in which there is low incidence of the disease, with isolated clusters and low community transmission, through to periods where there is high or rapidly increasing incidence, widespread community transmission and the pandemic is escalating rapidly in Ireland and globally. It recognises the need for society and business to be allowed to continue as normally as possible. Each level contains a basket of measures which are intended, collectively, to contribute to lowering the risk of transmission in alignment with the risk level at that time.

The plan also sets out our medium-term approach and priorities for managing and living with Covid in a range of areas, including prevention of infection and protection of vulnerable groups, health system response and resilience, approach to international travel, continued resumption of public service delivery, including non-Covid health and social care, protective services and access to justice, and developing economic, community and personal resilience. It will be reviewed at the end of March 2021.

To achieve these aims the National Public Health Emergency Team will continue to provide guidance and expert public health advice for the overall national response to Covid-19. A Covid-19 oversight group chaired by the secretary to the Government has been established and will meet regularly to provide advice to the Government on the strategic economic and social policy responses to the management of the disease and to consider the NPHET advices. Membership of the oversight group includes senior officials from my Department and the Departments of Health; Public Expenditure and Reform; Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Finance; Foreign Affairs; Justice; the acting Chief Medical Officer and the director general of the Health Service Executive along with the chiefs of staff to the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister with responsibility for transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan. The Cabinet committee on Covid-19 which I chair, will continue to assess the social and economic impacts of the potential spread of Covid-19 and oversee the cross-Government response. Senior officials groupings will be convened by my Department to drive implementation of the plan and support preparations for the Cabinet committee and the oversight group.

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