Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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507. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the evidence and logic employed when deciding to close down an outdoor and controllable sport such as golf under level 5 restrictions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33020/20]

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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511. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the grounds on which it was deemed necessary for golf courses to close under level 5 restrictions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33244/20]

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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515. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will review the requirement in level 5 Covid-19 restrictions for golf courses to be closed and to allow reopening of courses but not clubhouses in order to continue to protect public health. [33616/20]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 507, 511 and 515 together.

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 golf clubs and there are no plans to amend the current public health regulations so as to permit the reopening of golf courses.

The Government fully understands the benefits that sport generally, including golf, provides 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.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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508. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if an organisation (details supplied) can continue to train with up to 15 children during level 5 restrictions. [33023/20]

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”gyms, as with all other indoor sports facilities, must close under level 5. The only facilities not covered by this requirement are those set out in the public health regulations concerned. Accordingly, the proposed indoor-based arrangements advanced in the Deputy’s question are not in accordance with public health regulations.

Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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509. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if there will be a reduction on the television licences in public houses in view that these businesses are closed for the most part of 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33060/20]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The COVID 19 crisis highlights more than ever the importance of public service broadcasting to our society. It is vital that the Irish public have a readily available, reliable source of information on COVID-19 and the measures being put in place to tackle the crisis.

Equally as important are the sources of funding that make it possible for public service broadcasting to operate. At a time when advertising revenues are falling, the COVID 19 crisis is putting considerable strain on the resources of all broadcasters. Licence fee receipts are therefore essential to maintaining the service provided by public service broadcasters such as RTÉ. The Sound and Vision Fund is also financed from the TV licence fee and has provided special COVID 19 rounds of €2.5m for commercial radio and €750,000 for community radio.

Given the importance of these services at the present time, it is not my intention to make any reductions to the licence fee.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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512. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will amend the lockdown regulations to allow persons to attend gyms and golf clubs while adhering to all Covid-19 requirements and social distancing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33356/20]

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 golf clubs and there are no plans to amend the current public health regulations as suggested by the Deputy.

The Government fully understands the benefits that such facilities provide 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.

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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513. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will reconsider restrictions on solitary and socially distanced sports and sporting clubs such as tennis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33428/20]

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 including much sporting activity, including tennis, and there are no plans to amend the current public health regulations as proposed in the Deputy's question.

The Government fully understands the benefits that sport generally, including tennis, provides 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.