Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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882. To ask the Minister for Health if he will address concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied) in relation to rough shooting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38513/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As you will be aware, 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 Plan sets out Ireland's approach to managing and living with COVID-19 in a range of areas over the next 6 - 9 months.

The Plan sets out five levels of response, each with a number of measures designed to help us all lower COVID-19 transmission and setting out what is permitted at that moment in time. It aims to allow society and businesses to be able to operate as normally as possible, while continuing to suppress the virus. Each level outlines what is permitted for social or family gatherings, work and public transport, bars, hotels and restaurants, exercise activities and religious services.

At level 5 of the Plan, people are asked to stay at home, with certain exceptions, and must exercise within 5 km of home. Exercise and sporting amenities have been closed in order to reduce the person-to-person contacts which allow the virus to spread. 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.

I would like to clarify that I have no function in relation to rough shooting, responsibility for which lies with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.