Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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269. To ask the Minister for Health the reason for allowing couples from County Donegal to have weddings outside the county but not to allow couples from outside the county to have their wedding in County Donegal in respect of the extension of restrictions under the Covid-19 response announced for the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27769/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, the Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19 was published by the Government on 15 September, 2020. This Framework sets out 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. The Framework was informed by expert advice and recommendations from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).

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.

Under Level 3 for Donegal, people living in Donegal should remain in the county, with the exception of those who must travel for work, education and other essential purposes. People living outside of Donegal should not travel to Donegal, with the exception of those who must travel for work, education and other essential purposes. The purpose of these measures is to prevent further transmission of Covid-19 outside of Donegal.

While weddings with up to 25 people are permitted in Level 3 and can currently take place in Donegal, there is no exemption from the current travel restrictions for attending a wedding. This means that it will not be possible for residents outside of Donegal to attend weddings in Donegal, nor will it be possible for those in Donegal to attend weddings in other areas of the country. Again, this measure is in place to prevent further transmission of Covid-19 outside of Donegal. The Deputy may wish to note that there is one exception to this. Couples resident in Donegal with existing plans outside the county can travel to get married at another location, subject to the county level restrictions in place at that location. This applies only to the couple getting married and does not extend to guests attending the wedding.

Further information on the public health measures currently in place for Donegal under Level 3 can be found at .

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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270. To ask the Minister for Health if he will order an independent investigation into Covid-19 deaths in a nursing home (details supplied) in County Meath further to the publication of a HIQA report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27779/20]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Since 2009 the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, is the statutory independent regulator in place for the nursing home sector.  HIQA has significant and wide-ranging powers up to and including withdrawing the registration of a nursing home facility, which means that it can no longer operate as a service provider. This responsibility is underpinned by a comprehensive quality framework comprising of Registration Regulations, Care and Welfare Regulations and National Quality Standards.

HIQA undertook a regulatory inspection of the nursing home referred to by the Deputy and as part of this met with residents and their families, including the families of some of those who passed away as a result of COVID-19.

Following this inspection, HIQA is satisfied to re-register the nursing home with several improvement focused conditions including in relation to individual assessment and care planning. In their role as regulator, HIQA will continue to inspect individual nursing homes including the nursing home referred to by the Deputy to ensure their compliance with any conditions imposed.

On 19 August 2020, both Minister Donnelly and I launched the COVID-19 Nursing Homes Expert Panel Report.  This is a significant piece of work which provides a range of recommendations in line with lessons learned to date and international best practice, aimed to safeguard the residents in nursing homes over the next 12-18 months and into the longer term. The report is also informative in identifying areas of older persons’ service and care delivery requiring consideration for further reform. Many of these themes are reflected in the Programme for Government.

 Implementing the Report’s short-term recommendations will ensure the ongoing protection of nursing home residents, the preparedness of the nursing homes sector and the health system in response to COVID-19 and the winter ahead. This will involve building on emerging good practice.

I am aware of how difficult a time it is for the families of those who passed away as a result of COVID-19 and would like to express my condolences to those who have lost a loved one during this period.