TDs advised not to spend more than two hours a day inside Dáil chamber

In practise this means that if 20 TDs spent 3 hours meeting, and over the next two days one of them developed symptoms, all 20 would have to self-isolate for 2 weeks.

Tue, 19 May, 2020 - 16:50

Digital Desk staff

New advice suggests TDs can not spend longer than two hours a day inside the Dáil chamber.

The Covid-19 committee has been given medical advice saying if someone spends more than two hours in an enclosed space with someone they are considered a contact for public health purposes.

In practise this means that if 20 TDs spent 3 hours meeting, and over the next two days one of them developed symptoms, all 20 would have to self-isolate for 2 weeks.

It would mean no TD could be in the chamber for more than 2 hours a day.

This causes difficulties for how Ministerial or Taoiseach's Questions would work and how the Ceann Comhairle would operate.

Questions have also been raised about what the advice would mean for people working together in offices and other workplaces.

The Covid-19 committee is to consider the advice at a teleconference meeting tomorrow.