Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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149. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide timelines for the expected publication of a report (details supplied) and any other details, further to his acknowledgement that he received the report concerning the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic in September; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52165/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, I, together with my colleague Minister Feighan, announced the establishment of an independent Public Health Reform Expert Advisory Group in January of this year.

The Expert Group was tasked with; identifying learnings from the public health components of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland with a view towards strengthening health protection generally and future public health pandemic preparedness specifically; identifying lessons from international best practice regarding reform and strengthening of other core public health functions, including the promotion of health and wellbeing, population health research and health intelligence and health service improvement; and making recommendations regarding the delivery model for public health in Ireland. 

The Group, which was chaired by Professor Hugh Brady, carried out its work from January to August of this year. Membership of the Group comprised of national and international experts with experience across a range of key domains, including public health, health protection, epidemiology, senior public health service leadership, change management, and risk and evidence communication.

As the Deputy is aware, the Report of the Expert Advisory Group was submitted to me in September and I am now giving consideration to its contents. Following consideration, I plan to bring the Report to Government shortly, with a view to publishing it thereafter.

Further information on the Expert Group and details of its membership can be found online: