James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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57. To ask the Minister for Health the reason for removing spectators from the matches of an association (details supplied), notwithstanding the controlled measures to limit the spread of Covid-19 implemented at such matches in line with public health guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23682/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to begin by saying that I fully appreciate the vital role played by the GAA in respect of the health and wellbeing of communities the length and breadth of the country. The GAA is at the very heart of our community and the decision taken by the Government on the 18 August that all sporting events take place behind closed doors, is not in any way a reflection on the quality of the GAA’s facilities or the protocols put in place by the GAA to ensure the safety of the players, officials and the general public.

The overall Government approach to managing the COVID-19 pandemic is guided by the advice of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET). As society and the economy have begun to open up, there has been a gradual change in the epidemiological situation across the country, and the NPHET advised the Government that a cautious but measured approach be taken.

In this regard, the NPHET recommended that all sporting events can continue to take place but behind closed doors. It is also advised that participants should practice 2 metre physical distancing before and after events, during breaks in play, on the side-lines and team huddles should be avoided. All necessary measures to comply with child protection still apply.

I have been informed by the NPHET that their concerns are not just around the risk associated with attendance at the games themselves, but also the risk of the spread of infection associated with people travelling to and gathering in different ways both before and after events that must be considered.

I can assure the Deputy therefore that the issue is not about spectators at matches, and it is not about targeting these restrictions at any cohort or sporting organisation in particular. We have had cases in clusters linked to sporting activities, but of more concern is the number of contacts of cases that have had to be followed up as a result of socialisation around sporting activity, house parties, other social engagements and car sharing.

The Deputy is correct when he states that the risk of transmission of the virus is lower outdoors, but it still exists, and the purpose of these measures is to prevent indoor and outdoor congregation, particularly where people from different households are mixing in a way that would spread the virus between households.

It is of critical importance that a low level of community transmission be maintained in order to ensure the protection of the most vulnerable in our society and to protect the priorities of our essential societal services, such as education and health and social care services. By protecting these essential parts of our economy and society, we are also ensuring that sporting activity can continue for all.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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58. To ask the Minister for Health if the key indicators relating to Covid-19 are tracked relative to comparable countries such as the UK, Denmark and Austria and the EU as a whole covering such matters as testing rate per hundred thousand, hospital admissions per hundred thousand, reproduction rate of the virus, indicators of levels of social contact and so on; if so, if the indicators will be published on a regular basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23273/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland is guided by the advice, guidance and protocols of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). The expert guidance of the ECDC in particular is based upon consideration of the circumstances arising in the European Union and globally. The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) reviews these international developments as part of its overall examination of the evolving epidemiology of the disease.

While Ireland has taken its cue from international organisations such as the WHO and the ECDC in how we look at metrics related to the pandemic, it must be said that whenever we make comparisons across countries, we must do this cautiously. Circumstances such as, for example, the socio-economic status of the population, population density, age profile, rates of underlying conditions, date of first reported cases, varying data collection methodologies and reporting arrangements, testing strategies etc are often not directly comparable or are very challenging to analyse in a manner that can be directly comparable. The path and timeline of each country’s epidemic is also different. The metrics and policy responses used to combat the disease within each country have been unique to each country’s own individual situation and context. Simply comparing numbers doesn’t give the whole story.

It is therefore difficult to make direct international comparisons as countries experience different stages/waves of the epidemic at different times. Overall, Ireland’s response to this pandemic has been guided by international advice and emerging evidence and best practice. Information related to the current COVID-19 situation in Ireland and internationally is monitored continuously.

We have been transparent and open in sharing the most current position daily via press releases, press conferences and a publicly accessible online dashboard. This pandemic has required a dynamic response and enormous efforts have been made to ensure that our national data collection has kept pace with this very rapidly changing situation. Sharing information with the public has also been carefully balanced with the need to maintain keeping patient confidentiality.

Ireland’s 14-day incidence is now 40 per 100,000, up from a low of 3 in early July. Similarly, across the EU, most other member states seem to be experiencing an increase in their number of cases in recent weeks. Overall, the incidence rate is 55 cases per 100,000 population. 16 MS have a higher incidence rate in the past 2 weeks than in the previous 2-week period, while 11 member states have incidence rates above those currently recorded in Ireland.