Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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238. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will clarify an issue with regard to Covid-19 restrictions for a sport (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39427/20]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The Framework for Restrictive Measures is a risk management strategy designed to allow individuals, families, businesses and services better understand, anticipate and prepare for the measures Government might introduce to stop escalation of the transmission of the disease. The Government’s strategy, in line with the public health advice, is disease suppression. COVID-19 spreads when individuals and groups come into close contact with one another, enabling the virus to move from one person to another. The risk of infection spread is greater in certain environments than others e.g. uncontrolled environments, crowded and noisy places, indoor environments, poorly ventilated spaces.

Given the current epidemiological situation, it has been necessary to put in place very significant restrictions to arrest the current trajectory of the disease and break transmission chains. This means asking people to stay at home and eliminating as much activity and contacts as is possible to ensure that opportunities for the virus to transmit are minimised, while allowing essential activities to continue. Unfortunately, this means minimising discretionary activities including indoor sports training and exercise classes or lessons.

Currently, in Level 5 sporting competition is not permitted except for defined exempted athletes and teams, as set out in the public health regulations. It is not currently permitted to otherwise open indoor sports facilities. Individual training indoors is permitted in Level 3 and Level 4, however indoor exercise and dance classes are not.

I recognise that there is great disappointment among those who wish to engage in sport indoors during the current Level 5 restrictions which will continue until 2 December. The suite of measures to be applied thereafter, including for the sport and education sectors, will be decided by Government on the basis of the prevailing public health situation and in the context of the Framework published in September.