Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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967. To ask the Minister for Health if a masseur will be allowed to operate in the current level 5 restrictions in cases in which they are providing therapy for medical reasons and clients have evidence of such conditions. [10105/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 967 and 987 together.

As the Deputy is aware, the public health restrictions at level 5 of the Government's Framework Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19 will remain in place until 5th April 2021, when a further review will be conducted. The Framework continues to provide an appropriate mechanism to guide decision-making, and it will continue to be supplemented by more detailed sectoral guidance in relation to measures that apply at each level of the Framework.

On 23February, 2021, the Government published COVID-19 Resilience & Recovery 2021: The Path Ahead which sets out how in-school education and childcare services will be reinstated in a phased manner from 1 March, with staggered return throughout March to be concluded after the Easter break on 12 April. Information on the revised plan is available here –

At level 5, all non-essential retail, and all non-essential services must remain closed. Information in relation to the current public health measures in relation to essential retail/essential services at level 5 is available at:-

The Deputy should note that therapy services provided by a member of a designated profession within the meaning of section 3 of the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (No. 27 of 2005) are considered essential under the regulations. The list of Human Health and Social Work Activities considered essential at Level 5 can be viewed at:-

The Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (NO. 10) Regulations 2020 Regulation (S.I. 701 of 2020), sets out the relevant businesses or services under the current public health measures. Statutory Instruments related to the Covid-19 pandemic are available here: