Return of summer camps now on table
:: Health chiefs will also look at reopening nursing homes to visitors
SUMMER camps for children may be held under the next phase of the Government’s plan for reopening the country.
Health chiefs have been asked to examine whether certain camps could safely take place from June 8.
There are concerns in Government over the impact of the Covid-19 restrictions on children, who have been under lockdown for months.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) has been asked to compile a report on how to ease the burden of the social distancing on children, especially those with disabilities.
Allowing summer camps to take place is among the key measures being considered as part of the review due to be published next week.
Health Minister Simon Harris said officials are also looking at how visitor restrictions at nursing homes can be eased, suggesting residents may be able to meet family members outside.
Meanwhile, Ireland is set to get €2bn in EU coronavirus recovery grants under new plans. However, the funds could come with tougher rules on company tax that have long been resisted by the Government.
The consideration given to camps being allowed to open comes as it emerged the GAA has been preparing for its Cúl Camps to go ahead this summer.
GAA director general Tom Ryan said a “really impressive” amount of work has gone into preparing for restrictions being lifted.
“If we get a chance at all, and if the authorities can tell us that it is safe for us to go ahead with them, we will be ready to do them,” he told GAA.ie.
In 2019, 156,000 children attended 1,250 Cúl Camps across the country.
Meanwhile, Nphet is also examining whether the ban on visiting nursing homes can be lifted in the coming weeks.
The nationwide ban has been hugely difficult for residents and families as the deadly virus has swept through nursing homes.
Speaking in the Dáil, Health Minister Simon Harris said visitor restrictions were implemented with a “heavy heart” due to the impact on residents and their families.
The minister said he did not want to give “false hope” or suggest normal visiting will return.
However, he said he was pleased to report the health service is now “examining the issue of easing some visitor restrictions” and “assessing whether we can allow visitors to meet members of their families outside”.
“There has to be a safe way of allowing some level of visiting,” the minister added.
Mr Harris said coronavirus outbreaks have been stemmed in 29 nursing homes, which means there have been no new cases in those homes for more than 28 days.
He said there have been no new outbreaks in any nursing home for more than a week.
A Department of Health source noted visitor restrictions have already been lifted in the UK where family members can visit residents as long as they stay in their cars.
Meanwhile, chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan told Cabinet ministers he does not intend to advise that the two-metre social distancing rule be reduced.
After days of debate about reducing the restriction on physical distance, Dr Holohan told ministers it would not be appropriate for him to recommend cutting the two-metre rule at this stage of the Covid19 pandemic.
Sources at the meeting said the chief medical officer rejected suggestions that the distance should be cut as he feared it could lead to a higher risk of the virus spreading in communities.
Disability Minister Finian McGrath is understood to have asked Mr Holohan about reducing the distance but was told now is not the time for reducing it.
Earlier this week, Mr Holohan said the two-metre social distancing restriction was not a rule, but rather “guidance” offered by Nphet.
“It is guidance and like any guidance it has to be interpreted by people at an individual level and then by organisations,” he added.
Mr McGrath raised issues related to the disability and mental health sectors.
The minister also asked about the possibility of extending the 5km non-essential travel restriction to 20km, according to sources.
During the Cabinet meeting with Dr Holohan, ministers also asked questions about vaccines and the capacity of private hospitals to treat patients.
It comes as Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin criticised coronavirus limits on how far people can travel from their home.
Mr Martin said research shows it may be forcing people in urban areas into more crowded situations.