Public health oversight committee meets for first time

Ronan Glynn will be part of the oversight committee. Picture: Julien Behal

A new oversight committee formed to help the Government convert the National Public Health Emergency Team's (NPHET) advice into practical guidelines has met for the first time.

Chaired by the State’s most senior civil servant, Martin Fraser, the group will analyse recommendations made by public health officials before presenting workable options to the cabinet.

Until this week, NPHET has passed its advice to the Government directly. 

However, it’s understood that in order for the Government to make swifter decisions regarding Covid guidelines, options for how to implement them, and any consequences of guidelines, will be debated by the committee first.

It’s understood the group will continue as long as the Government’s medium-term plan runs for, which is said to be around nine months with a planned review at the end of March next year.

The ‘Living with Covid’ plan, under which the group was set up, also states the group will oversee the direct implementation of policy responses.

Along with Mr Fraser, the core group will contain secretary generals from the Department of Taoiseach, Health as well as acting chief medical officer Ronan Glynn, and chief executive of the HSE, Paul Reid.

It’s understood officials from different departments may be drafted into the committee should the advice affect their remit.

”It was set up to deal with practicalities,” a government spokesperson said.

“We need to be bearing in mind the balance of public health and the economic aspects, they’ll be looking at recommendations, and basically proofing them to see how practical they are, and to make sure they can be implemented or, for instance, if something was advised that would take a few days to be implemented, we need to be aware of it.

“The committee will be translating them into normal every day, implementable actions.

“They will try and make the process as workable and manageable as possible, it’s more analysis, to see how feasible the recommendations are.”

It’s understood the group will be seen as a “buffer” between the Government and the officials, amid consistent reports of lapses of communication or strain between the two due to differing priorities during the crisis.

When the oversight group finishes their deliberations, their findings are passed to the cabinet-subcommittee which includes Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, Transport Minister Eamon Ryan, and the Taoiseach Micheál Martin. 

After their meeting, their recommendations are put to the full cabinet meeting.