Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1058, 1059 and 1289 together.

There has been ongoing and regular contact at Ministerial level with Northern Ireland throughout this pandemic in relation to how each health system is implementing various public health responses.

A Memorandum of Understanding was formally agreed between the respective health services in April. The MOU focuses on facilitating greater co-operation and consistency of approach wherever possible on areas such as public health messaging, programmes of behavioural change, evidence base/ modelling and contact tracing.

There has been significant engagement between the CMOs, and officials in both jurisdictions. Calls are held regularly including at a technical level to facilitate information sharing on topics such as modelling, testing and contact tracing approaches, tracing apps and travel measures.

In recent weeks, there has been regular engagement at official level to discuss our policy approaches to international travel and to foster a mutual understanding of our positions on passenger locator forms and on public health advice and requirements for incoming passengers.

The administrations are seeking to adopt similar approaches, where it is appropriate to do so on the advice of respective Chief Medical Officers. Discussions have and will continue to take place on respective plans for the gradual and controlled easing of restrictions, given the importance of implementing consistent approaches wherever possible. All parties recognise that in terms of public health measures in both jurisdictions, that it will be important to maintain strong North/South collaborative arrangements.

The North-South Ministerial Council of 31 July will provide a further opportunity and platform for the discussion of these issues.