Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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372. To ask the Minister for Health if instructions will be in place regarding wearing facemasks for transport workers and others in which close contact is unavoidable after the lifting of restrictions on 22 October 2021. [48761/21]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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384. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department plans to relax guidelines on wearing facemasks in churches and other indoor venues on 20 October 2021 [48797/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 372 and 384 together.

As outlined inCOVID-19: Reframing the Challenge, Continuing Our Recovery and Reconnecting, which was announced by Government on 31 August, from 22 October, subject to the criteria of at or close to 90% of people 16 or over being fully vaccinated and having regard to the incidence and behaviour of the disease at that time, Ireland will enter a new phase in our approach to the management of COVID-19.

At that time, it is intended thatformal requirements/mandates for mask wearing outdoors and in indoor private settings will be removed at that time. However, the intention is that there will be continuing requirements in relation to mask wearing in a range of settings including healthcare settings, indoor retail and on public transport. Facemasks may also continue to be needed to be worn in certain environments as part of sector specific measures to ensure a safe environment. Furthermore, individual efforts to wear masks based on individual risk assessment will remain an important component of our collective response to COVID-19.

Government will meet in advance of 22 October to consider, based on the advice of the NPHET, moving forward with the plan.

Since the onset of the pandemic, we have saved lives and limited the impact of the disease on society in Ireland due to the huge effort of people across the country. Thanks to the hard work of the Irish people and the progress of our vaccination programme, we are now entering a new phase in the management of the pandemic. As our approach to the management of COVID-19 transitions from population wide restrictions to guidance we must continue to practice basic preventative behaviours, including in relation to self-isolation and restricting movements when advised, observing good respiratory and hand hygiene, physical distancing and mask wearing when appropriate.

COVID-19: Reframing the Challenge, Continuing Our Recovery and Reconnectingcan be found online:

www.gov.ie/en/press-release/f5291-post-cabinet-statement-covid-19-reframing-the-challenge-continuing-our-recovery-and-reconnecting/