Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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750. To ask the Minister for Health the data behind the decision to close field sports courses under level 5 restrictions; the impact of field sports on the R number; the potential reduction in the R number through the application restrictions on field sports; the number of Covid-19 cases linked to field sports; the locations of same by county; and the general data which informed the decision to restrict field sports. [35271/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As you will be aware, the country has moved to level 5 of the Government’s medium-term strategy for dealing with COVID-19: Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19.

This Plan 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.

As I'm sure you 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. The number of people allowed to gather in different scenarios in the Government's Framework are based on a review of international practice and the judgment of public health experts. 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.

At level 5 of the Plan, people are asked to stay at home, with certain exceptions, and must exercise within 5km of home. No matches or other sporting events may be held with the exception of professional elite sports and senior inter-county gaelic games and horse and greyhound racing, which may continue behind closed doors. All other training activities should be individual only. It is possible to meet with 1 other household in an outdoor setting which is not a home or garden, such as a park, including for the purpose of exercise. It is appreciated that these measures are difficult, but they have been put in place to protect public health.

You may wish to note that recreational hunting is not among the exemptions provided for under the current regulations - the Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (No. 8) Regulations 2020)(S.I. No. 448 of 2020).

It is also important to note that individuals who have hunting licences or other licences issued by the National Parks and Wildlife Service under the Wildlife Acts, must adhere to all public health guidelines at level 5. Further information on this and hunting at level 5 is available from the National Parks and Wildlife Service at the following link:

Regarding the impact of field sports on the overall R number, I have been advised by the Irish Epidemiology Modelling Advisory Group (IEMAG), that it is not feasible to provide reliable estimates of the impact of very specific interventions. In order to do this, a series of assumptions would need to be made in relation to the number of close contacts that occur in a setting, the number of close contacts that occur in the population as a whole, the relative risk that such close contacts lead to infection, and the effect of mitigating measures such as the use of PPE. Small changes in these assumptions lead to very different outcomes in terms of impact upon the R number.

For your information, technical notes on the approaches used to estimate effective reproduction number (Re) or time-dependent reproduction number (Rt) are published on the Department of Health website

I would also draw your attention to the CSO website for access to a range of data relating to Covid-19 including data on confirmed cases linked to Covid-19 Outbreaks. This is available on the CSO Covid-19 Information Hub at www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-covid19/covid-19informationhub/ and, in particular, at www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/br/b-cdc/covid-19deathsandcasesseries14/

A range of data on the epidemiology of Covid-19 in Ireland, including data on county incidence levels and trends in transmission, is also published in the daily report by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) available at: www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/casesinireland/epidemiologyofcovid-19inireland, while a daily report on the last 14 days in cases available at: www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/casesinireland/epidemiologyofcovid-19inireland.

Information on the public health measures in currently in place in relation to the different levels can be found at www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/resilience-recovery-2020-2021-plan-for-living-with-covid-19/

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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751. To ask the Minister for Health if persons attending groups (details supplied) or other organised weight reduction groups can do so if they can arrange weigh-ins once a week for members on an individual basis adherent to public health advice in the interests of physical and mental health and well-being of participants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35276/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Firstly, I would like to assure you that the Government is committed to ensuring a balanced and proportionate response to COVID-19 by finding ways to implement public health measures in response to the pandemic in a way that is fair, reasonable and proportionate.

As you will be aware, in response to the rapidly deteriorating epidemiological situation across the country, Ireland has moved to level 5 of the Government’s medium-term strategy for dealing with COVID-19, Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19

This 5 level Framework reflects a careful consideration of the impact of the introduction of restrictions on employment and livelihoods, keeping as many businesses open as possible at different stages, while acknowledging that some businesses and services are critical.

Any measures introduced at any level of the Plan are aimed at limiting the spread and damage of COVID-19, and are necessary to protect our key priorities of supporting and maintaining health and social care services, keeping education and childcare services open and protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities.

As I'm sure you 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. The number of people allowed to gather in different scenarios in the Government's Framework are based on a review of international practice and the judgment of public health experts. 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.

At level 5 of the Plan, unfortunately, this means closing many businesses and amenities to reduce the person-to-person contacts which allow the virus to spread. At Level 5 essential retail and essential services will remain open. Further information on essential retail and essential services at Level 5 can be found at:

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.