Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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363. To ask the Minister for Health the reason ballet, Irish dance and other dance classes are not going to be permitted under the new level 3 lockdown being introduced; if there is epidemiological evidence available to support this decision in order to protect society from Covid-19, particularly in circumstances in which children under 15 years of age are attending such classes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40964/20]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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368. To ask the Minister for Health the rationale for not permitting dancing, ballet and gymnastics to resume under level three plans (details supplied) [40977/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 363 and 368 together.

The Government appreciates that there are many aspects of normal life that have been altered by the emergence of COVID-19, and the response that has been required. It also recognises that these changes are difficult for many people. However, it is the case at present that many of the things which we have previously taken for granted are no longer accessible in the same way due to the risks that they pose and the ease with which this virus spreads in particular conditions.

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 a period of 6 – 9 months.

The Plan aims to allow society and businesses to operate as normally as possible, while protecting our key priorities of supporting and maintaining health and social care services, keeping education and childcare services open and protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities.

The Plan consists of 5 levels. Each level sets out what is permitted for social or family gatherings, work and public transport, bars, hotels and restaurants, exercise activities and religious services, at that moment in time. Each level contains a “basket” of measures which are intended, collectively, to contribute to lowering the risk of transmission of Covid-19 in alignment with the risk level at that time. The set of measures, individually, do not comprise a list of activities or places which are equally safe. Instead, they are “baskets” of measures which are informed by public health understanding of the disease. The measures in place for each level reflect the prevailing disease situation and recognise that we can and must prioritise some activities over others.

As I'm sure you can appreciate, 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. The numbers of people allowed to gather in different scenarios in the Government Plan 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.

The Health Act 1947 (Section 31A-Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (No.9) Regulations 2020, (S.I. No. 560 of 2020) which gives effect to the level 3 restrictions under the Plan, does not allow private or commercial indoor dance classes to operate.

Where a service provider considers that they fall into the education category e.g. as part of the national curriculum or as part of a specific, state-sponsored course of study, they should refer to the Department of Education’s guidance in relation to the operation of education services under the current public health restrictions: .

I would also draw your attention to the CSO website for access to a range of data relating to Covid-19 including data on confirmed COVID-19 cases linked to outbreak location. This is available on the CSO Covid-19 Information Hub at www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-covid19/covid-19informationhub/ and, in particular, at .

A range of data on the epidemiology of Covid-19 in Ireland, including data on trends in transmission, is also published in the daily report by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) available at: www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/casesinireland/epidemiologyofcovid-19inireland, while a daily report on the last 14 days in cases available at: www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/casesinireland/epidemiologyofcovid-19inireland.

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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364. To ask the Minister for Health if there will be enhanced opportunities for nursing home residents to meet their family members over December 2020; and the measures in place to deal with the negative impacts on residents' mental health due to visiting restrictions. [40969/20]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The importance of continued social interaction of residents and their families cannot be overstated and every effort should be made, in line with public health advice, to ensure that these interactions continue.

As you may be aware, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) published updated guidance on visitations to long term residential care facilities on 30^thNovember. The new guidance which comes into effect from the 7^thDecember, aims to further support long-term residential care services (including nursing homes) and residents in planning visits across all levels of the framework for restrictive measures in the government’s Plan for Living with COVID-19. Further advice is provided in the guidance which recognises that major cultural or religious festivals, such as Christmas, are of significance for residents and their families.

This new guidance outlines an updated definition for ‘critical and compassionate circumstances’, which now provides that, subject to risk assessment, residents may be facilitated to receive:

- up to one visit by one person per week under Levels 3 and 4 of the framework;

- up to one visit by one person per two weeks under Level 5.

It also notes that at all framework levels every practical effort should be made to accommodate an additional visit on compassionate grounds during the period of a major cultural or religious festival or celebration of particular significance to the resident, such as the Christmas/New Year period.

I encourage all nursing homes to remain familiar with the latest public health advice and support, and to make every effort to continue to facilitate visitors in line with public health advice and to communicate with family and friends on an ongoing basis in order to support positive mental health and wellbeing. I have communicated with the sector outlining the need for them to be flexible, innovative and to facilitate visiting arrangements, in line with public health advice.

Notwithstanding this, it is also important to be cognisant of the wider epidemiological situation and the risks associated with same. On the 19^thNovember, the European Centre for Disease Control published its latest risk assessment with regard to long-term care facilities across Europe. It highlights that the probability of COVID-19 introduction into a long-term care facility depends on the level of COVID-19 circulation in the community, with a higher risk associated with higher incidence rates in the community.

This highlights the importance of suppressing the level of the virus in the community as one of the primary measures for protecting nursing homes. As citizens, we all have a responsibility in this regard and our actions across all of society can directly impact the outcomes for nursing home residents.