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It can be difficult to keep track of what is allowed as new restrictions take effect.
The rules for Level 5 are fairly straightforward, but when more complex questions arise, it can be difficult to know how the rules apply.
So, here we unravel some of the regulations on the new restrictions. We ask our readers to submit their questions and here are the answers.
Q: Can my children play outside with their friends?
A: It is possible to meet another household in an outdoor setting other than a house or garden, such as a park, even for exercise.
However, no other social or family gatherings should be held, so it would be ruled out that bands of children from various houses congregate outside to play.
Q: Can you have a babysitter in your home to care for the children if both parents are essential workers?
A: Yes, this is allowed. Under the restrictions, visits to the home or garden are not allowed, with the exception of visits for essential purposes (for example, family reasons such as providing care to children, the elderly or vulnerable people, or as part of a bubble of support).
Q: Are immigration services still open? Specifically Garda registration for the first time. Until you get a stamp, you can’t work, which is causing financial stress for some families.
A: Following the government’s announcement on updated measures to respond to Covid-19, Registration Office, Immigration Service Surrender, at Burgh Quay, Dublin 2 will be temporarily closed to the public for first-time registration appointments and effective at starting Wednesday, October 21, 2020 at 7 pm. More updates on the reopening will follow.
All renewals in the Dublin area are now processed online only and the system has been available to all applicants since July 20, 2020 at inisonline.jahs.ie Renewal applications will continue to be accepted and processed online and Passports will be returned to clients by posting as usual.
Q: How do the restrictions affect non-group outdoor sports such as tennis or golf?
A: No practice or matches should be held, with the following exceptions: Non-contact training can continue for school-age children, outdoors in groups of 15. More guidance is being prepared for this.
Professional, elite and inter-county Gaelic games, horse racing and greyhound racing are also allowed to continue behind closed doors.
Q: If your partner has a severely compromised immune system with additional underlying health issues and you are the only other person at home, can you leave work at PUP to protect your partner?
A: Rights for the PUP can be found here: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/be74d3-covid-19-pandemic-unemployment-payment/
Q: One of the reasons I am allowed to travel more than 5 km is to visit a grave. Does it have to be the grave of someone I know? How would you prove this? Can I travel any distance to visit a grave?
A: The government grant is based on people acting in good faith. The intention is to ensure that family members can visit the local cemetery where close relatives are buried.
It is to prevent family members who regularly visit the graves of their loved ones from breaking the 5 km rule and to recognize the importance of this for the well-being of some people.
Q: Can I ride public transport from Cork to May if it means my daughter can see her dad? That would be our bubble, we share parenthood.
A: A bubble of support can form if you share parenting or custody arrangements, and also if you live only with children under the age of 18. Using public transport should be fine in this case, as it is an essential journey.
Q: The building stays open, does that include merchants doing small home improvements such as furniture, flooring, etc.?
A: Merchants will continue to operate during Level 5 restrictions. It allows “the provision and delivery of maintenance and repair services to businesses and places of residence (including electricity, gas, plumbing, glazing and roofing).” Household heads would be expected to put off more non-essential routine jobs until the lockdown is lifted.
Q: Can a coach or child attend GAA training in groups of 15 if they have to travel more than 5 km from home to attend?
A: It is allowed to bring school-age children to the allowed training, even if it is outside 5 km from the house. Non-contact training can continue for school-age children, outdoors in groups of 15. Coaches should also be able to travel. Further guidance is being prepared for this.
Q: Can children travel to their normal soccer training sessions that are held more than 5 km apart and in a different county?
A: Yes, see above.
Q: 25 people are allowed at weddings. Can you travel more than 5 km to attend a wedding?
A: Yes, weddings (and funerals) are one of the exemptions allowed by the regulations, so you can travel more than 5 km from your home.
Q: Can our bubble include people more than 5 km away from us? My closest family lives in May and I live in Dublin.
A: Whenever possible, the advice is that you should choose a home in your locality to form your support bubble, but you can form a support bubble with a home outside the 5 km limit.
The reason for this is to prevent the spread of Covid-19 between areas that may have many cases and those that have a low number of cases.
Q: If you are an adult living alone, do you qualify for a support bubble? If so, and if the home you are paired with is beyond the 5 km radius, how would you prevent the guards from fining the person traveling to visit you?
A: Support bubbles are designed to help you if you live alone. You can only form a support bubble with another household if they are not already part of a support bubble.
You can visit the home of those in your bubble of support and they can visit your home. You can also meet outdoors and in places other than your home.
Whenever possible, you should choose a home in your locality to form your support bubble, but you can form a support bubble with a home outside the 5 km limit.
If you are complying with the regulations, there should be no problem in terms of fines. As noted by a senior source: “Gardaí will operate with a common sense approach” to the application. Garda members get involved, educate, encourage and, as a last resort, enforce.
Q: Does the NCT stay open? Can I travel more than 5 km for my NCT appointment?
A: NCT service is considered an essential service and customers traveling for existing scheduled appointments are exempt from travel restrictions.
All NCT centers are fully operational and clients are only required to attend existing scheduled appointments.
Q: Can people travel more than 5 km to get to the church for private prayer?
A: If your regular or nearest church is more than 5 km away, you can travel.
Q: Is church considered “essential” like schools, GAA games, and horse racing? If not, why not?
A: Religious services are available online and churches are open for private prayer. Public health measures implemented to suppress disease transmission are aimed at minimizing risks to public health while striking the right balance by prioritizing and protecting some activities over others.
Such activities include health and social services, education and other essential needs, work and economic activity, and other key social interests (to the extent possible) such as sports and important family gatherings.
Each level of the framework contains a “basket” of measures that together are intended to help reduce the risk of transmission in line with the level of risk at that time.
Q: Can I see houses more than 5 km from my house?
A: Visits are conducted online with arrangements for limited physical visits in certain circumstances as the process progresses.
Q: Can I order products from stores that are considered “non-essential” and pick them up? Can I go beyond 5 km to do this?
A: That depends on what you are collecting. It is allowed to collect medicines and other health products outside the 5 km limit and food.
Traveling outside of 5 km is for essential purposes only.
Online editors
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