THE Government has agreed to extend a series of emergency Covid-19 powers that were due to expire next month until November. The move does not impact the Government’s ongoing efforts to gradually remove public health restrictions but gives ministers the discretion to reimpose measures and enforce them if deemed necessary. Read MoreHealth Minister Stephen Donnelly got approval from ministers to extend the laws which underpin many of the extraordinary powers given to State authorities last year to enforce public health measures. “The Minister for Health is of the view that the public interest is best served by having these powers available to the Government to protect life and public health if required,” they said. The four pieces of legislation that will be extended includes the Health Preservation and Protection and Other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2020; the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Covid-19 Act 2020; the Criminal Justice Covid-19 Enforcement Powers Act 2020; and the Health Amendment Act 2020.

Source: Irish Independent May 18, 2021 16:59 UTC