Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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1390. To ask the Minister for Health if maternity visitation restrictions can be eased to make room for social bubble, social and household exclusive support network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33590/20]

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

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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1391. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide a full list of regulations to allow for fines for the breaking of Covid-19 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33603/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is working closely with the Department of Justice to draft and finalise regulations around the introduction of fixed penalty notices. Section 5(5) of the Health Act 1947 provides that every regulation made by the Minister for Health under the Act is laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as possible after it is made. In addition, they are published on the Department's website.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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1392. To ask the Minister for Health if a school (details supplied) that teaches music to students with intellectual disabilities is allowed to stay open under level 5 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33605/20]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Officials in this Department were unable to establish the exact nature of the service in the Deputy's question. Clarification was sought from the Deputy's office, but in the absence of this, it has not been possible to advise whether the service in question can remain open. In the context of Level 5 of the Government's Resilience & Recovery Framework (2020-2021): Plan for Living with COVID-19, all services deemed essential must adhere to public health guidance and infection prevention and control precautions.

A full list of essential services at level 5 of the Governments Resilience & Recovery Framework (2020-2021) including health and social work services are available at:

In relation to health services, Health Service Executive (HSE) regards the provision of disability health services as essential to maintaining a response to people with a disability under Level 5 of this plan. All disability services must follow public health guidance in this area, including the prevention and management of COVID-19 related infection. The HSE and its funded disability partners will continue to provide therapeutic supports in line with public health guidance and direction and having regard to the availability of staffing resources.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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1393. To ask the Minister for Health if court ordered parental access which requires travel and household visiting is not impacted under level 5 regulations and that such arrangements must be continued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33606/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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On Tuesday 15 September the Government published ‘Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19’. This Plan outlines our medium-term strategy for COVID-19 and sets out a Framework of 5 Levels which outline the broad measures which will apply depending on the level of the virus at any given time. The Plan is designed to help everyone – individuals, families, organisations and sectors – to better understand, anticipate and prepare for the measures that might be introduced to contain transmission of the virus. Restrictions on domestic travel apply at Levels 3, 4 and 5 of the Plan. No restrictions on travel apply at Level 1 and 2 of the Plan.

At all levels of the Framework, and in all regulations which give effect to measures agreed by Government, provision is made to ensure that parents can continue to access their children. The regulations make clear that it is permitted to travel across county borders (Levels 3 and 4) and further than 5km (Level 5) for these purposes. Travel is permitted for parents of a child; guardian of a child; and a person who has a right of access to a child.

Those who share parenting or custody arrangements are now also permitted to form a support bubble should they wish to and further details on support bubbles is available here: