Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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410. To ask the Minister for Health the medical and epidemiological or other data basis on which live music at weddings is prohibited in the current phase of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42575/20]

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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411. To ask the Minister for Health the medical and epidemiological or other data basis on which dance classes unlike gyms have not been allowed open up in the current phase of Covid-19 though their owners have taken every precaution possible to keep their students safe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42577/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 410 and 411 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. 

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 various limits at all levels in the Government's Plan are designed to reduce the number of households mixing with each other and cut down the virus’s chances of spreading into more homes. 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 at each level reflect the prevailing disease situation and recognise that we can and must prioritise some activities over others.  

I would like to 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.