Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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207. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1163 of 3 October 2020, if he will allow dance schools to be treated the same as sports clubs and gymnastics classes for the purposes of Covid-19 restrictions; if he will allow dance schools to operate under level 3 and 4 Covid-19 restrictions rather than arbitrarily treating dance schools differently from other exercise activities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35540/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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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. For this reason, we are all asked to be extra careful when socialising and working with others. For now, we must act like we have the virus to protect those around us from infection.

As you are aware, the Government's medium-term strategy, Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19, sets out Ireland's approach to managing and living with COVID-19 in a range of areas over the next 6 - 9 months.

The number of people allowed to gather in different scenarios in this 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. 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 under the Framework dance and gymnastic classes are regarded as exercise and sporting events and where possible under levels 3 and 4 such classes can be held online.

Under Levels 3, 4 and 5 indoor training is only permitted on an individual basis, therefore exercise and sporting events, including classes, cannot take place.

Under Level 2 restrictions, indoor training and exercise can take place in pods of up to 6 people, once sufficient space is available and strict public health protocols are in place. Under Level 1 of the Framework, there is no specific capacity limit, with capacity guided by what can be accommodated safely in the venue while ensuring all protective measures are in place, including social distancing.

Information on the public health measures currently in place, including for exercise and sporting events, 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/.