Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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503. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if gyms will be deemed an essential service (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32930/20]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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Given the current epidemiological situation with high incidence of disease, widespread community transmission, and growing hospitalisations and deaths, it has been necessary to put in place very significant restrictions 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 is possible to ensure that opportunities for the virus to transmit are minimised, while allowing essential activities to continue. Unfortunately, this means minimising discretionary activities such as going to the gym or to personal training centres and there are no plans to deem gyms and personal training centres as essential services.

The Government fully understands the benefits that gyms and exercise classes bring to peoples overall health and well-being and understands how difficult the public health measures are for individuals and businesses. 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. Such activities include health and social care services, education and other essential needs, work and economic activity, and other key societal interests (in so far as possible) such as sports and important family gatherings.

Each level of the framework contains a “basket” of measures which are intended, collectively, to contribute to lowering risk of transmission in alignment with the risk level at that time. The set of measures, individually, do not comprise a list of activities or places which are equally safe. Instead, they are “baskets” of measures which are informed by public health understanding of the disease. The measures in place for each level reflect the prevailing disease situation and recognise that we can and must prioritise some activities over others.

The Government is aware of the impacts COVID-19 and the related public health measures are having on our mental health and well-being. The “Keep Well” campaign, launched on 29th October, is aimed at showing people of all ages how we can mind our own physical and mental health and wellbeing by adding healthy and helpful habits to our daily and weekly routines. It provides guidelines, information, and tips on things that will help us keep well through the coming months. Relevant information is this regard is available on gov.ie/healthyireland.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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504. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her attention has been drawn to the fact that persons involved in power lifting have won dozens of world and European champions titles in addition to competing at professionals level; if power lifting is considered an elite sport which can continue under level 5 restrictions in particular for athletes that have represented Ireland at international level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32944/20]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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In line with the Government-approved “Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19”all gyms and fitness and training centres must close under level 5. Restrictions are in place in respect of competitive and training events, as set out in the relevant public health regulations, the Health Act 1947 (Section 31 A - Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (No. 8) Regulations 2020, S.I. No. 448 of 2020. As per section 11 (3) of the regulations, the exemption from restrictions on training activity only applies to professional sportspeople, inter-county Gaelic games teams and high performance athletes and teams recognised and supported by Sport Ireland.

Sport Ireland does not recognise, or provide funding to, a national governing body for powerlifting in Ireland. Accordingly, as powerlifting cannot be considered an elite sport within the meaning of the public health regulations, it is not permitted for training in powerlifting to continue under the Level 5 restrictions.