Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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1404. To ask the Minister for Health if he has considered making NPHET meetings public given his views that it is imperative that there is a full and accurate account of each meeting; if so, when this will be implemented; if not, the statutory reason for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14133/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) is the mechanism for coordinating the health sector response to significant public health emergencies. It facilitates the sharing of information between the Department of Health and its agencies. It is a long-standing structure, which has been utilised over many years to provide a forum to steer strategic approaches to public health emergencies in Ireland and mobilise the necessary health service responses.

Recommendations and updates from National Public Health Emergency Teams are communicated to the relevant parties to inform policy and operational approaches, depending on the nature of the emergency. Key to this is the role of the Minister for Health, who receives recommendations and updates for consideration in terms of health policy and further consideration, if needed, for a wider cross-Government approach. This public health approach is in line with the advice of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) for COVID-19 provides guidance, support, and expert advice on the development and implementation of a strategy to manage COVID-19 in Ireland. It advises Government on the public health aspects of what is a cross-Government response to COVID-19.

The NPHET is committed to transparency in how it conducts its business. Directly following each meeting, the recommendations of the NPHET are communicated by letter to the Minister for Health for consideration, and these recommendations are used to assist Government in informing its decisions in responding to the public health emergency.

The relevant actions and decisions arising from NPHET meetings are also communicated to the HSE CEO by letter, as required.

Actions and recommendations arising from the NPHET meetings are communicated publicly and are announced through press releases. In addition, the Department of Health and NPHET Members provide regular media briefings to this end. Planned briefings are now scheduled twice weekly. There is also a dedicated webpage on the Department of Health website, where agendas and minutes of previous meetings are published as soon as practicable, once approved by the NPHET:

The Deputy is advised that as NPHET meetings involve discussions relating to the deliberative process of the Department of Health (including opinions, advice, recommendations, and the results of consultations), public broadcast thereof is not facilitated. However, as detailed above, the NPHET and the Minister for Health ensure the greatest possible level of transparency around NPHET meetings through the publication of the NPHET’s recommendations, letters, and minutes, as well as via the Department’s communications work.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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1405. To ask the Minister for Health if he has considered broadcasting NPHET meetings (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14135/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) is the mechanism for coordinating the health sector response to significant public health emergencies. It facilitates the sharing of information between the Department of Health and its agencies. It is a long-standing structure, which has been utilised over many years to provide a forum to steer strategic approaches to public health emergencies in Ireland and mobilise the necessary health service responses.

Recommendations and updates from National Public Health Emergency Teams are communicated to the relevant parties to inform policy and operational approaches, depending on the nature of the emergency. Key to this is the role of the Minister for Health, who receives recommendations and updates for consideration in terms of health policy and further consideration, if needed, for a wider cross-Government approach. This public health approach is in line with the advice of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) for COVID-19 provides guidance, support, and expert advice on the development and implementation of a strategy to manage COVID-19 in Ireland. It advises Government on the public health aspects of what is a cross-Government response to COVID-19.

The NPHET is committed to transparency in how it conducts its business. Directly following each meeting, the recommendations of the NPHET are communicated by letter to the Minister for Health for consideration, and these recommendations are used to assist Government in informing its decisions in responding to the public health emergency.

The relevant actions and decisions arising from NPHET meetings are also communicated to the HSE CEO by letter, as required.

Actions and recommendations arising from the NPHET meetings are communicated publicly and are announced through press releases. In addition, the Department of Health and NPHET Members provide regular media briefings to this end. Planned briefings are now scheduled twice weekly. There is also a dedicated webpage on the Department of Health website, where agendas and minutes of previous meetings are published as soon as practicable, once approved by the NPHET:

The Deputy is advised that as NPHET meetings involve discussions relating to the deliberative process of the Department of Health (including opinions, advice, recommendations, and the results of consultations), public broadcast thereof is not facilitated. However, as detailed above, the NPHET and the Minister for Health ensure the greatest possible level of transparency around NPHET meetings through the publication of the NPHET’s recommendations, letters, and minutes, as well as via the Department’s communications work.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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1406. To ask the Minister for Health if the details of NPHET's secretariat minute-taking process will be provided, specifically the procedural steps in line with best practice in order to ensure factual accuracy and representation of discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14136/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The COVID-19 NPHET is supported by a dedicated Secretariat that works diligently to prepare high-quality minutes for publication as quickly as practicable.

Given the significance of NPHET meetings and the importance of its work in the context of the State’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is imperative that a full and accurate account of each NPHET meeting is maintained. NPHET agendas cover a wide range of very complex and technical public health issues and NPHET discussions are by their nature, lengthy, fast-paced, and multifaceted.

To ensure factual accuracy and representation of discussions, the NPHET Secretariat’s minute-taking process involves a number of procedural steps in line with best practice, as follows:

- Sections of the minutes are drafted by members of the Secretariat team.

- The draft minutes are reviewed internally.

- The draft minutes are circulated to the NPHET Members in advance of the NPHET meeting. Members are invited to provide their observations on same.

- Observations received from the NPHET Members are incorporated into the minutes.

- A final ‘for adoption’ version of the minutes is then circulated to the Members for their final review.

- At the NPHET meeting, the Chair invites the Members to endorse the minutes. Further observations may be received at this stage.

- Following endorsement, the minutes are published on the Department of Health website.

As illustrated above, the minute drafting process takes time and cannot be dispensed with in the interest of ensuring quality and accuracy. NPHET Members must be afforded the opportunity to correct any errors in the minutes before their adoption.

The Deputy may wish to note the NPHET minutes are published up to 18^thFebruary 2021 at the address below.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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1407. To ask the Minister for Health if he has considered providing additional resources to the secretariat of NPHET given the drafting process of minute-taking takes time and cannot be dispensed with in the interest of ensuring quality and accuracy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14137/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy is advised that the Department of Health manages the allocation of its human resources/staff complement effectively, responding to staffing needs as they arise. The NPHET Secretariat is adequately resourced at present. NPHET meeting minutes are drafted promptly by the NPHET Secretariat, reviewed as appropriate, and published on the Department of Health website, following their endorsement by the NPHET Members.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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1408. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 733 of 3 March 2021, if further clarity will be provided in relation to the publishing of NPHET minutes; if a rolling schedule means that the minutes will be available weekly Monday to Friday; if not, if minutes will be released on Saturday and Sunday as is common for rolling schedules; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14138/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy is advised that NPHET minutes are published on the Department of Health website as soon as practicable, following their endorsement by the NPHET Members. The Secretariat aims to publish NPHET minutes during normal business hours, on a rolling basis, subject to their endorsement. 

The Deputy may wish to note the NPHET minutes are published up to 18^thFebruary 2021 at the address below.