Written answers

Tuesday, 9 November 2021

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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566. To ask the Minister for Health the reason NPHET meeting minutes were and are only released six to eight weeks after the meeting in question especially when meetings were occurring on a weekly basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54061/21]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The last meeting of the NPHET took place on 18thOctober 2021. The minutes of preceding NPHET meeting of 16thSeptember were adopted at this meeting and were subsequently published on the Department of Health website at the address below.

www.gov.ie/en/collection/691330-national-public-health-emergency-team-covid-19-coronavirus/

The minutes of the NPHET’s last meeting of 18thOctober are expected to be adopted by the NPHET Members at its next meeting scheduled for week commencing 8thNovember, in accordance with the review and adoption procedure outlined below.

NPHET Minutes review and adoption process:

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 next NPHET meeting, the Chair invites the Members to endorse/adopt the minutes. Further observations may be received at this stage.

- Following adoption by the NPHET Members, the minutes are published on the Department of Health website as soon as possible.

The minute drafting process, as illustrated above, is adhered to in the interest of ensuring the quality and accuracy of NPHET meeting records. NPHET Members are afforded the opportunity to correct any errors in the minutes up to their adoption.

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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567. To ask the Minister for Health if meetings of NPHET are or were occurring without members having access to the minutes of the previous meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54063/21]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The last meeting of the NPHET took place on 18thOctober 2021. The minutes of the preceding NPHET meeting of 16thSeptember were adopted at this meeting and were subsequently published on the Department of Health website at the address below.

www.gov.ie/en/collection/691330-national-public-health-emergency-team-covid-19-coronavirus/

The minutes of the NPHET’s last meeting of 18thOctober are expected to be adopted by the NPHET Members at its next meeting scheduled for week commencing 8thNovember, in accordance with the review and adoption procedure outlined below.

NPHET Minutes review and adoption process:

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 next NPHET meeting, the Chair invites the Members to endorse/adopt the minutes. Further observations may be received at this stage.

- Following adoption by the NPHET Members, the minutes are published on the Department of Health website as soon as possible.

The minute drafting process, as illustrated above, is adhered to in the interest of ensuring the quality and accuracy of NPHET meeting records. NPHET Members are afforded the opportunity to correct any errors in the minutes up to their adoption.

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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568. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the frequency of NPHET meetings has been reduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54064/21]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy is advised that the last meeting of the NPHET took place on 18th October 2021. The next NPHET meeting is scheduled for the week commencing 8th November.

Reflecting the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic and the scale and pace of the health service response required, the NPHET in general met twice a week in the early stages of the pandemic, moving to weekly meetings at a later stage, meeting more/less frequently as required. Since its establishment, the NPHET has met 94 times.

In scheduling NPHET meetings, the Chair and Members have regard to the epidemiological situation and planned upcoming Government decisions concerning the COVID-19 response etc.

The Chair of the NPHET, the Chief Medical Officer, reserves the right to call a NPHET meeting(s) in advance of planned NPHET dates should he feel that an additional meeting of the NPHET is warranted.

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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569. To ask the Minister for Health the date of the last meeting of NPHET; the reason as of 1 November 2021 the last minutes available on its webpage are 16 September 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54065/21]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The last meeting of the NPHET took place on 18thOctober 2021.

The NPHET minutes are published up to 16thSeptember 2021 (the preceding meeting) at the address below.

www.gov.ie/en/collection/691330-national-public-health-emergency-team-covid-19-coronavirus/

Publication of one set of NPHET meeting minutes (18thOctober) remains outstanding. These minutes are expected to be adopted by the NPHET Members at its next meeting scheduled for week commencing 8thNovember, in accordance with the review and adoption procedure outlined below.

NPHET Minutes review and adoption process:

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 next NPHET meeting, the Chair invites the Members to endorse/adopt the minutes. Further minor observations may be received at this stage.

- Following adoption by the NPHET Members, the minutes are published on the Department of Health website as soon as possible.

The minute drafting process, as illustrated above, is adhered to in the interest of ensuring the quality and accuracy of NPHET meeting records. NPHET Members are afforded the opportunity to correct any errors in the minutes up to their adoption.

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

570. To ask the Minister for Health if a mechanism will be put in place in order that there is early approval and publication of NPHET minutes within a week of the meeting in the interests of accountability and transparency given that the Covid-19 pandemic is evolving again; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54066/21]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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 next NPHET meeting, the Chair invites the Members to endorse/adopt the minutes. Further minor observations may be received at this stage.

- Following adoption by the NPHET Members, the minutes are published on the Department of Health website as soon as possible.

The minute drafting process, as illustrated above, is adhered to in the interest of ensuring the quality and accuracy of NPHET meeting records. NPHET Members are afforded the opportunity to correct any errors in the minutes up to their adoption.

The Deputy may wish to note the NPHET minutes are published up to 16thSeptember 2021 at the address below. Publication of the minutes of one NPHET meeting, held on 18thOctober, remains outstanding. These minutes are expected to be adopted by the NPHET Members at the next NPHET meeting scheduled for week commencing 8thNovember, in accordance with the review and adoption procedure outlined above.

www.gov.ie/en/collection/691330-national-public-health-emergency-team-covid-19-coronavirus/

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