Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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564. To ask the Minister for Health if a business (details supplied) will be allowed to reopen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41173/20]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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608. To ask the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41342/20]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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639. To ask the Minister for Health the guidance for bingo halls reopening in December 2020. [41468/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 564, 608 and 639 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 Plan 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 number 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 measures in place for each level reflect the prevailing disease situation and recognise that we can and must prioritise some activities over others. 

Information in relation to the public health measures in place at all levels of the Plan are available at:- .

With regard to your specific query please refer to the Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (No. 9) Regulations 2020 Regulation (S.I. 560 of 2020), Schedules 1 and 2 for a list of businesses or services that are not permitted under the current restrictions.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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565. To ask the Minister for Health the targets for hire for the dedicated swabbing and testing workforce identified in the winter plan on a weekly and monthly basis for the period 1 June to 1 December 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41177/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy, as soon as possible.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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566. To ask the Minister for Health the number of hires for the dedicated swabbing and testing workforce identified in the winter plan on a weekly and monthly basis for the period 1 June to 1 December 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41178/20]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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567. To ask the Minister for Health the total targeted workforce by 1 December 2020 and actual workforce size at 1 December 2020 for the dedicated swabbing and testing workforce identified in the winter plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41179/20]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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568. To ask the Minister for Health the targets for interview for the dedicated swabbing and testing workforce identified in the winter plan on a weekly and monthly basis for the period 1 June to 1 December 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41180/20]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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569. To ask the Minister for Health the number of interviews for the dedicated swabbing and testing workforce identified in the winter plan on a weekly and monthly basis for the period 1 June to 1 December 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41181/20]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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570. To ask the Minister for Health the total targeted interviews by 1 December 2020 and actual interviews conducted by 1 December 2020 for the dedicated swabbing and testing workforce identified in the winter plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41182/20]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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571. To ask the Minister for Health the targets for hire for the dedicated contact tracing workforce identified in the winter plan on a weekly and monthly basis for the period 1 June to 1 December 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41183/20]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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572. To ask the Minister for Health the number of hires on a weekly basis for the period 1 June 2020 to 1 December 2020 for the dedicated contact tracing identified in the winter plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41184/20]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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573. To ask the Minister for Health the total targeted workforce by 1 December 2020 and actual workforce size at 1 December 2020 for the dedicated contact tracing workforce identified in the winter plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41185/20]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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574. To ask the Minister for Health the targets for interview for the dedicated contact tracing workforce identified in the winter plan on a weekly and monthly basis for the period 1 June to 1 December 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41186/20]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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576. To ask the Minister for Health the total targeted interviews by 1 December 2020 and actual interviews conducted by 1 December 2020 for the dedicated contact tracing workforce identified in the winter plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41188/20]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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577. To ask the Minister for Health the number of candidates who applied to work in the dedicated contact tracing workforce identified in the winter plan by 1 December 2020; the minimum educational qualification of candidates who progressed to interview; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41189/20]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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578. To ask the Minister for Health the number of candidates who applied to work in the dedicated swabbing and testing workforce identified in the winter plan by 1 December 2020; the minimum educational qualification of candidates who progressed to interview; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41190/20]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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582. To ask the Minister for Health the number of swabbing and testing staff successfully onboarded on a weekly basis for the period 1 October to 1 December 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41202/20]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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583. To ask the Minister for Health the number of contact tracing staff successfully onboarded on a weekly basis for the period 1 October to 1 December 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41203/20]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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586. To ask the Minister for Health the total workforce still redeployed and seconded from other aspects of the health service to Covid-19 efforts, by field, that is testing, tracing and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41206/20]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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587. To ask the Minister for Health the targets to year end for the dedicated swabbing and testing workforce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41207/20]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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588. To ask the Minister for Health the targets to year end for the dedicated contact tracing workforce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41208/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 566 to 574, inclusive, 576 to 578, inclusive, 582, 583 and 586 to 588, inclusive, together.

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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575. To ask the Minister for Health the number of interviews on a weekly basis for the period 1 June 2020 to 1 December 2020 for the dedicated contact tracing workforce identified in the winter plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41187/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy, as soon as possible.