Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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180. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the person or body who designed and sanctioned the wording of the level 5 restrictions to include the measure that marts must operate online only; and if this can be amended for any future level 5 lockdown. [40562/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Since the beginning of the Covid19 global pandemic, my Department has worked intensively, in cooperation with marts representative organisations, to ensure that marts may remain in operation. I would like to commend the representative organisations for this good cooperation. I would like to commend also the marts themselves, and farmers around the country, for the resilience they have shown in the face of this pandemic, and the speed with which they have adapted to the new circumstances.

My Department has adapted the conditions under which marts must operate since April, to reflect the various measures introduced by the Government to stop the spread of Covid19 and to allow marts to continue to operate.

From April to June 8^th, marts operated without public attendance at sales rings, with marts able to operate transactions online or facilitate the brokering of sales, including the weighing and viewing of stock and the safe processing of financial transactions for buyers and sellers. From June, as other public health restrictions lifted, public attendance at sales rings was again permitted in marts subject to strict compliance with Covid19-specific standard operating procedures in each mart, based on the HSE Covid19 rules.

On 19^thOctober, the Taoiseach announced that the whole country would move to Level 5 of the Framework for Living with COVID-19 for a period of six weeks. Under the framework, sales at marts could be held online only.

Protecting the agri-food sector and people in rural communities by following this framework was at the centre of my Department’s direction, on 20^thOctober, that sales rings must close and that all mart business may continue by conducting sales by brokering transactions or by using online platforms.

The framework was a Government decision, arrived at with NPHET advice, and following consideration by the Cabinet Commitee on COVID. In the event of a return to level 5, my Department will again be guided by their advices.