Written answers

Wednesday, 3 March 2021

Photo of Emer HigginsEmer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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809. To ask the Minister for Health if he will consider allowing couples getting married that are choosing, for health and safety reasons not to have a reception and instead to limit their celebration to their church service, to have ten guests at their service as per funerals. [11349/21]

Photo of Niamh SmythNiamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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936. To ask the Minister for Health if he will address a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied); if he will clarify the position regarding weddings in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11839/21]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 809 and 936 together.

As you will be 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 5 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 23 February, 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 – Details of weddings numbers at each level of the plan can be found at Appendix 1 of the COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021: The Path Ahead under Social and Family Gatherings/Weddings.

At Level 5, 6 guests may attend the wedding and wedding ceremony irrespective of venue. This does not include the persons getting married or persons attending in a professional capacity. The various limits at all levels in the Government's Plan are all 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 COVID-19 Resilience & Recovery 2021: The Path Ahead Appendix 1, Social and Family Gatherings/Weddings outlines wedding numbers permissible at different levels of the plan.

As I'm sure the Deputies 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. In certain settings, such as weddings, higher noise levels due to music, can force people into close proximity, requiring them to raise their voices or shout to communicate thus increasing the risk of spreading the virus to others.

It is not possible to say what public health measures will be in place in the future. The public health advice relating to Covid-19 is kept under continuing review by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), by my Department and by the Government . The measures in place and the public health advice have been adapted to the changing circumstances and this will continue to be the case for the foreseeable future.

Details of the public health measures currently in place for weddings can be found at:-

You may also wish to note that Fáilte Ireland has provided guidelines for the hospitality industry which includes guidance on weddings and is available at: -

The Deputies may wish to note that there are a wide range of supports available to help businesses impacted by the COVID-19 crisis including financial supports, training and guidance to help business's mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and work safely. Further information on the supports available can be found at: which outlines Government supports for COVID-19 impacted businesses.

Photo of Carol NolanCarol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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810. To ask the Minister for Health if cases of Covid-19 of the so-called Brazilian variant have been detected or confirmed in meat plant workers since January 2021; if so, the location of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11351/21]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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On 19 February 2021, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre was notified of three cases of a new variant of COVID-19 (‘P1’), first identified in Brazil. All of the cases identified are understood to be directly associated with recent travel from Brazil. All cases are being followed up by public health teams and enhanced public health measures have been put in place, in line with guidance. This was notified to my Department on the same date.

My Department cannot comment on the specific circumstances of the individual cases which have arisen in this case as to do so would breach the duty of confidentiality to the individuals concerned.

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