Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Mullen for raising this matter. I would love to see the churches open again. Indeed, I, my wife and my family are looking forward to returning to mass, and I am proud to say that as a politician.

The Government's strategy, in line with the public health advice, is disease suppression. Covid-19 spreads when individuals and groups come into close contact with each other, enabling the virus to move from one person to another. The framework for restrictive measures is framed to account for periods when there is low incidence of the disease, with isolated clusters and low community transmission, through to situations where there is high or rapidly increasing incidence and widespread community transmission. It recognises the need for society and business to be allowed to continue as normally as possible. The framework takes account of the societal and economic impacts of the response to Covid-19. Nuanced and sectoral responses are in place to ensure the number of people impacted will be kept to the minimum necessary to control the disease, given the psychosocial impacts of the disease on the population.

With the recent epidemiological situation of high incidence of disease, widespread community transmission and increasing hospitalisations and deaths, it was necessary to put in place significant restrictions at level 5 to arrest the current trajectory of the disease and break transmission chains. This means asking people to stay at home and eliminating as much activity and contacts as possible to ensure that opportunities for the virus to transmit are minimised. Unfortunately, this includes moving religious services online, with places of worship remaining open for private prayer only and exceptions continuing for funerals and weddings, where 25 may attend. It is important to note that at all framework levels, ministers of religion are permitted to travel to perform a service online, to minister to the sick, and to conduct a funeral or wedding ceremony.

These restrictions have posed major challenges for the religious community and they are to be commended on how they have responded. By adopting new ways of connecting through social media and various communication channels, the church has continued to bring comfort and assistance to those in need, in particular those who are grieving. It is acknowledged that these restrictions impact on the spiritual well-being of faith communities, but the measures in place to suppress the disease transmission are intended to minimise the risks to public health while striking the right balance in prioritising and protecting some activities over others.

Regular ongoing contact is maintained with the faith groups and non-confessional organisations by the protocol and civic policy division of the Department of the Taoiseach, especially with regard to specific queries on interpretation of the Covid-19 guidelines and regulations. In this regard, the Taoiseach had a number of Covid-19 related meetings with faith groups. On 8 April 2020, the Taoiseach held a meeting with leaders of the main faiths and non-confessional organisations to discuss the effects Covid-19 is having on their communities. On 14 May 2020, the Taoiseach met with representatives of the Catholic Church, Archbishops E. Martin, D. Martin and K. O'Reilly, to share thoughts on the reopening of places of worship over the course of the summer. The church shared information on the work that is being done at all levels to develop a national church plan for safe reopening and emphasised it would play its part in applying public health measures to ensure the health and safety of its congregation.

A further meeting with the Catholic archbishops was held last month. Discussion at that meeting focused mainly on the effect which the current Covid-19 restrictions are having on the health and well-being of the faith community and the great desire to return to worship as soon as possible. The archbishops emphasised that they are fully supportive of the public health messages, but highlighted that coming together in prayer and worship, especially for mass and the sacraments, is fundamental to Christian tradition and a source of nourishment for the life and well-being of communities. The importance of gathering for worship as a source of consolation and hope at Christmas time was stressed. The need for a shared understanding of the effects of the pandemic as it evolves and to align our response accordingly was recognised. All agreed on the importance of solidarity in facing and overcoming the challenges of Covid-19 together. Pastoral work continues as we enter the traditional time of remembrance in this month of November.