Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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670. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the expert advisory group to NPHET was dissolved following its last meeting on 2 September 2020; the rationale for this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39800/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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This decision was taken in the context of a review carried out by the NPHET, in which a number of Subgroups, having met their Terms of Reference, were stood down with their work subsequently realigned into the appropriate policy and operational functions of the Department of Health or other relevant organisations, or bodies. It was considered timely to regularise the emergency structures established at the start of the pandemic into the work of the relevant agencies.

As the HIQA has a statutory remit to provide evidence based advice to the Minister for Health, the Department of Health and the HSE, it was decided that the EAG would, in future, operate under the aegis of the HIQA in the preparation, review, and publication of Evidence Summaries and Scoping Reviews to inform NPHET policy.

Accordingly, on the 29th September 2020, the HIQA announced details of its new structures to provide evidence-based advice and support to the NPHET, including the establishment of the COVID-19 Expert Advisory Group. Further information is published at:

The Terms of Reference and membership of the new COVID-19 Expert Advisory Group are also published at the above link. The HIQA calls on the expertise of its COVID-19 Expert Advisory Group membership, as required, in carrying out its work.

The advice from the HIQA to the NPHET, along with the underpinning evidence for same, is published at: www.hiqa.ie.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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671. To ask the Minister for Health the details of any and all new advisory groups to NPHET; the makeup of these groups including the names and qualifications of the members, the terms of reference and the minutes of their meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39801/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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NPHET Subgroup Membership Details:

For the Deputy’s information, Membership details of all Subgroups that supported the NPHET, many of which have met their terms of reference and have been stood down, are contained in the NPHET’s Governance Structures Document, published 26 June 2020:

COVID-19 Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group (IEMAG) - Active

The COVID-19 Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group (IEMAG) was formed on 11 March 2020 to provide statistical and mathematical modelling support and advice to the Chief Medical Officer and the NPHET.

The IEMAG’s Terms of Reference are as follows:

1. Gather evidence and monitor the epidemiological characteristics of the COVID-19 outbreak in Ireland and the pandemic internationally.

2. To develop epidemiological models to forecast the COVID-19 outbreak in the Republic of Ireland, monitor the impact of public health interventions, and model probable scenarios for numbers of new cases of COVID-19 over time.

3. To estimate the potential impact of COVID-19 on health services and health systems in the Republic of Ireland by developing a capacity and demand model and to investigate how best to utilise resource to meet expected demand.

4. To monitor and model the geospatial characteristics of the outbreak in Ireland.

5. Oversee the development of and reporting from a central COVID-19 data repository hosted by CSO (Central Statistics Office) and OSI (Ordinance Survey Ireland).

6. To collaborate with colleagues in Northern Ireland in support of the agreed programme of co-operation and collaboration.

7. To engage with international counterparts to support this programme of work.

8. To produce regular reports detailing the above information for presentation to the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).

9. To perform such other analyses or provide other advice as may be required from time to time by the CMO or NPHET.

The IEMAG will continue its work in anticipation of building up additional statistical, analytical, and disease modelling capacity within the HPSC. The current Membership of the IEMAG is as follows:

*New IEMAG Subgroup Members since publication of Governance Document on 26 June.

Resignations from the IEMAG Subgroup: Alan Barrett, CEO, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) (June); Alan Smith, DOH (June); and Derval Igoe, Consultant Public Health Medicine, NVRL/HPSC (April 2020).

The IEMAG is currently working on updating its publications webpage. It is understood that meeting minutes will be published at the following link by mid-December:

HIQA COVID-19 Expert Advisory Group, - Active

From 2 September 2020, the work of Expert Advisory Group (EAG) to the NPHET, was realigned with, and mainstreamed into, the evidence synthesis functions of the HIQA. As HIQA has a statutory remit to provide evidence-based advice to the Minister for Health, the Department of Health, and the HSE, it was decided that the EAG will, in future, operate under the aegis of HIQA in the preparation, review and publication of Evidence Summaries and Scoping Reviews to inform NPHET policy. Accordingly, on the 29 September 2020, the HIQA announced details of its new structures to provide evidence-based advice and support to the NPHET, including the establishment of the COVID-19 Expert Advisory Group. The Terms of Reference and Membership of the COVID-19 Expert Advisory Group are published at the above link:

.

The advice from HIQA to NPHET and the underpinning evidence for same is published at . This is not a subgroup of the NPHET.

COVID-19 Communications and Behaviour advisory Group - Active

The Behavioural Change Subgroup was stood down in August 2020, having met its terms of reference, and an advisory group to the Department of Health’s communications team was created in its place. The advisory group is called the COVID-19 Communications and Behaviour advisory Group. This is not a subgroup of the NPHET.

The COVID-19 Communications and Behaviour advisory Group’s Terms of Reference are:

1. Provide evidence-based analysis and advice to the Department of Health Covid-19 Communications function to understand key population behaviours and drivers and inform public communications activities.

2. Analyse the data generated through the Department’s research processes conducted to listen to the public to understand and address emerging concerns, and advise on potential research issues.

3. The group will meet on a regular basis to review and provide insights with the outputs of this process being fed into NPHET on a monthly basis.

4. The group may also be requested to meet or otherwise provide analysis and advice on an additional ad-hoc basis if required, for example on an emerging issue of concern.

The COVID-19 Communications and Behaviour advisory Group’s Membership is as follows:

The COVID-19 Communications and Behaviour advisory Group has met on 5 occasions to date and its minutes are available here: .