Legislation facilitating emergency public health powers will not be allowed to run further than February 2022. Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly told the Seanad that he is amending the legislation to ensure that after a five-month extension to 9 November, set to be approved by the Oireachtas, the powers can only be extended for a further three months beyond that. "If we do somehow find ourselves in a position whereby, we would need some targeted public health measures past next February, we will reintroduce another bill," Mr Donnelly said.
This means that the emergency powers will be allowed run until 9 November and could be extended one more time until February 2022.