Stephen Donnelly says further Covid-19 restrictions can't be ruled out this winter

Stephen Donnelly said the future trajectory of the disease cannot be predicted with certainty.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has reiterated that a return to tighter Covid-19 restrictions cannot be ruled out this winter. 

Mr Donnelly was speaking in the Dáil on a debate to extend the legal framework for imposing restrictions, the sunset clause of the Health Amendments (Covid-19) Act 2021, for three months. It is due to expire on October 9.

Mr Donnelly said the Government is not seeking to extend the restrictions beyond October 22, but wants to keep the legal framework in place, should further lockdowns and restrictions be needed this winter.

From October 22, the limit on the number of people allowed to attend indoor and outdoor events and activities will be dropped as well as the restrictions on religious or civil ceremonies.

People will no longer need certification of vaccination or immunity as a condition for gaining access to any activities or events, with the exception of international travel.

However, Mr Donnelly said the future trajectory of the disease cannot be predicted with certainty.

"A response to the disease that is agile and flexible with an ability to pivot rapidly and respond to any new emerging threats needs to be ensured," he said.

"The act is an important part of that response, should the potential for one arise in the future, and while unlikely, it cannot be fully ruled out because of the uncertainty of the future trajectory of the virus, given how novel it is.

"I'd like to assure the house to assure colleagues that existing regulations under the Act are due to be revoked, with effect from the 22nd of October, in line with the government's plan for this phase of Covid-19.

"That is pending final Government approval and final analysis, from our public health teams, obviously, but the intention is that the restrictions on indoor hospitality would end on the 22nd of October."

Fine Gael TD Alan Dillon, backing Mr Donnelly, said that although vaccine uptake has been high, Ireland should not be complacent.

"It would be irresponsible to block up the fire escape just because it looks like it's not needed," he said.

Sinn Féin's health spokesman David Cullinane said his party would not be supporting the bill as Mr Donnelly had failed to lay out solid reasoning for the extension.

"You're asking for this three-month extension to bring us up to the January 9, that's not something that I can support, because when you go back to the very first day that you was minister, maybe your predecessor, brought forward proposals for emergency powers, we all accepted that they could only be in place for as long as they are necessary and that we could not keep extending them.

"If there was a change in the trajectory of the disease, this house is very capable, as it has done in the past, of coming in here and agreeing new regulations."

Earlier in the day, Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath was criticised by government and opposition TDs for comparing vaccine certification to "apartheid".

A vote will be held tomorrow on extending the legal framework.