Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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227. To ask the Minister for Health if he will consider adjusting public health guidelines surrounding weddings by which 150 persons can attend a church ceremony yet only 50 can attend a reception afterwards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26024/20]

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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266. To ask the Minister for Health the new regulations in relation to christenings in Dublin; the number permitted to attend; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26187/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 227 and 266 together.

As the Deputy is aware, on Tuesday 15 September 2020 the Government published it's medium term plan which frames Ireland's approach to managing and living with COVID-19 in a range of areas over the next 6 - 9 months.

The plan sets out five levels of response, each with a number of measures designed to help us all lower COVID-19 transmission, and setting out what is permitted at that moment in time. It aims to allow society and businesses to be able to operate as normally as possible, while continuing to suppress the virus. The plan is framed to account for periods which there is a low incidence of the disease, with isolated clusters and low community transmission, through to situations where there is a 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 and is designed so that either national or county level restrictions can be applied.

Each level outlines what is permitted for social or family gatherings, work and public transport, bars, hotels and restaurants, exercise activities and religious services. Any measure included at any level in this plan is underpinned by expert advice and recommendations from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).

The number of people allowed to gather in different scenarios in the Government Framework are based on a review of international practice and the judgment of public health experts. It seeks to balance the risks of different types of gatherings against the desire to allow normal activities to proceed in so far as possible.

As I am sure the Deputy can appreciate, COVID-19 spreads when individuals and groups come into close contact with one another, enabling the virus to move from one person to another. COVID-19 is infectious in a person with no symptoms, or for the period of time before they develop symptoms. For this reason, we are all asked to be extra careful when socialising and working with others. For now, we must act like we have the virus to protect those around us from infection.

There are exemptions for weddings and funerals at all Levels. This is due to the particular significance these events have for individuals and society more broadly. Depending on the level of the Plan in place in a county at a given time, the numbers permitted to attend a wedding can be up to 100.

All counties except Dublin are currently at Dublin is currently at . The public health measures at both levels will remain in operation until 9 October 2020, at which point the situation will be reviewed by the Government, based on the status of the virus and the pertinent public health advice. Further information on the public health measures in place under Level 2 can be found at . Information on the public health measures currently in place under Level 3 can be found at

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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228. To ask the Minister for Health when the Covid-19 related restrictions that mean physiotherapists cannot have trainees in the room while they are seeing placement will be reviewed and change to allow for practical third level training to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26025/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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229. To ask the Minister for Health his views on the recent recommendation by the WHO (details supplied) supporting women having a chosen companion during labour and childbirth; and if he will re-evaluate the restrictions on partners accompanying pregnant women at appointments, in pre-labour ward and at every opportunity in which it is safe to do so. [26030/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I acknowledge that the current restrictions in maternity hospitals are presenting difficulties and this is hugely regrettable. However, it is necessary to reduce footfall in order to protect women, babies, staff and our maternity service as a whole.

Maternity hospitals have performed well during the pandemic and have continued to keep women, babies and staff safe. The fact that there have been no Covid maternal deaths in this country,and that we have a had a low incidence in pregnant women, suggests that the current approach is working.

However, we must remain vigilant as services resume and higher numbers of people attend hospitals. Maternity hospitals rely on very specialised personnel; should an outbreak of COVID-19 occur in a maternity hospital, the ability to provide safe, quality care would be severely impacted. It should be remembered that maternity hospitals care for fragile infants at the extremes of prematurity.

All maternity hospitals are challenged by the pandemic, but those challenges vary considerably. Decisions on any restrictions are therefore made, implemented and reviewed at hospital level.

Decisions to restrict visitors in our maternity hospitals have not been taken lightly. Management and staff are acutely aware of the very important support provided by partners at the time of birth. I have been assured that maternity hospitals wish to facilitate this support as far as possible. In that context, I can assure the Deputy that any restrictions currently in place have been minimised as much as possible and will be subject to ongoing review.

I note that restrictions have eased somewhat in certain hospitals in recent weeks and I hope this will continue. However, the recent rise in the numbers of people infected with the virus, including healthcare workers, is very worrying and may impact on the pace of the easing of restrictions.

The National Women & Infants Health Programme is currently working on a document which will issue to all maternity services, seeking to ensure a consistent national approach to visitor restrictions in maternity hospitals, as far as is practicable and having due regard to local circumstances. I am advised that the paper will issue over the coming week.