Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 December 2025
1038. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to list all occasions since January 2020 on which the Chief Medical Officer or the Health Protection Surveillance Centre recommended the introduction, expansion, suspension, or withdrawal of screening protocols for infectious diseases affecting persons entering or residing in the State, and to outline the actions taken by the Department in response in each case. [69967/25]
View answerThe National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) was an established mechanism for coordinating the health sector response to significant public health emergencies. It facilitated the sharing of information between the Department of Health and its agencies. Throughout its existence, the NPHET for COVID-19 oversaw and provided national direction, guidance, support and expert advice on the development and implementation of a strategy to contain COVID-19 in Ireland.
In particular, the NPHET played a critical role in closely and continuously monitoring the evolving impact of COVID-19 on Ireland’s population, as well as the health service’s capacity, performance, and ability to respond.
The decisions and recommendations of the NPHET are published in full here: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/collections/minutes-and-agendas-from-meetings-of-the-nphet-covid-19/.
As the Deputy will be aware, a COVID-19 Evaluation Panel has been established. This is an independent, non-statutory evaluation, with a wide remit that will incorporate pandemic responses across hospitals, the community and nursing homes, along with wider economic and societal impacts.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
