Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

63. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will give the issues outlined by a national association (details supplied) urgent consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34142/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department has no function in granting exemptions from compliance with public health regulations made in the context of COVID -19.

I have noted the issues outlined by the association in question including the reference to a statement by An Garda Siochana in the matter.The statement of the National Parks and Wildlife Section (NPWS) of my Department which is referred to in the question indicates that licences issued by the NPWS do not in any way confer exemptions in respect of compliance with public health guidelines. This does not conflict in any way with the position as set out by An Garda Siochana.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

64. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the restrictions and advice to persons that must travel to England and that return to Ireland via Belfast; the obligations in relation to travel locator forms and recommended isolation times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34065/20]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Ireland is implementing the new EU ‘traffic lights’ approach to travel to countries in the EU / EEA and the UK. Our current advice for travellers to these countries is to ‘exercise a high degree of caution’. Anyone considering travel to Great Britain should also check the latest information from the local authorities there regarding requirements for international passengers arriving in the country.

Ireland’s restrictions and advice for individuals arriving into the State are also based on the EU 'traffic lights' system. Travellers from 'green' regions can enter the State without being requested to restrict their movements. Travellers from orange, red or grey regions within this classification system, with the exception of certain exempted categories of personnel, are requested to restrict their movements for 14 days. It is expected that it will shortly be possible to disapply this request if passengers from orange regions have a negative PCR test up to 72 hours before arrival. The red or grey status currently applies to Great Britain. Therefore, individuals arriving from Great Britain, including England, are at present subject to the attendant restrictions of the 'traffic lights' system.

Restrictions imposed on passengers entering a country in the 'traffic lights' system are based on the location of the passenger during the 14 days prior to arrival, not on the airport or seaport of arrival or the point of disembarkation. Currently, passengers arriving into Ireland who have travelled from England should restrict their movements for 14 days. This includes those who may travel from England to an airport or seaport in Northern Ireland in order to transit onward to a final destination in Ireland.

All passengers travelling to Ireland from overseas, apart from certain limited exceptions, must fill in the COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form before they arrive into the State. This requirement does not apply to those whose journey begins in Northern Ireland, but does apply to those whose journey begins in Great Britain, including England. Passengers who may be travelling to Ireland from England via Belfast must complete the form and can indicate their final destination in Ireland within the fields provided. The COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form is now an online form.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

65. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) can continue to use a facility for purposes such as physical education during level 5 restrictions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33960/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I wish to advise the Deputy that Level 5 restrictions do not apply to the Education sector and on this basis any prior commitment or agreement between the two parties referred to should remain in place.

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

66. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the PPE to be worn by teachers in schools and the location in which the guidance on this can be found. [33949/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department has published a suite of helpful guidance for the safe and sustainable reopening of schools. Each school is required to have a COVID-19 Response Plan for the safe operation through the prevention, early detection and control of COVID-19 in line with public health advice. This guidance is focused on the practical steps schools must take to minimise the risk of transmission of infection

Following a centralised procurement process, my Department has established a multi-supplier arrangement from which schools can choose a supplier and select the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Consumables and equipment products that best suits their needs and the requirements under the Roadmap .

This ensures schools have access to, on a value for money basis, a secure supply chain of various PPE and consumables under the Roadmap and their COVID-19 School Response Plan including hand sanitisers, sanitiser fluids, face coverings/visors, gloves, wipes etc.

A COVID-19 Capitation Grant for PPE, Consumables and Equipment of €25 per pupil, with an enhanced rate of €100 per pupil attending a special school or attending a special class attached to a mainstream school will apply to fund school costs to the end of 2020. This capitation grant takes account of a number of once off type costs, which schools face in implementing COVID-19 Response Plans (i.e. installation of sanitiser units, signage/posters etc.) which will be incurred upfront.

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

67. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if teachers and special needs assistants providing intimate care are automatically deemed a close contact; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33950/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department has no role in providing guidance of a clinical or medical nature. However the HPSC have recently published the following definition of a close contact in an educational setting which was communicated to all schools this week.

In accordance with current HPSC close contacts guidelines a clinical Public Health Risk Assessment (PHRA) will be undertaken for all educational settings where a confirmed case has attended whilst infectious. This PHRA will determine the close contacts as:

- Any person who has had face to face contact within less than 1 metre with a confirmed case of COVID-19 for >15 minutes in a school day.

- Any person who has been between 1 and 2 metres from a confirmed case of Covid-19 for >15 minutes in a school day with consideration of other mitigation measures e.g. face-coverings, pods, ventilation, IPC measures or uncertain compliance with mitigation measures in place (assessed through clinical PHRA)

Contacts are assessed from contact with a confirmed case of Covid-19 during their infectious period - 48 hours before the onset of symptoms if symptomatic, or 24 hours before the test for Covid-19 was taken in those who are asymptomatic.

The response to confirmed cases or outbreaks of Covid-19 in the community or in a school is the responsibility of, and will be led and managed by, Public Health HSE. All decisions as to appropriate actions following a confirmed case or outbreak will be made by their teams in the context of a full Public Health Risk Assessment procedure.

It is the view of Public Health that the evidence available to date shows that schools are proving to be safe spaces for children and for the staff. My Department will continue to work closely with all of the education partners and the public health system so that schools can continue to be supported during this very challenging time.