Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for attending. I acknowledge the phenomenal and committed work of individuals in the sector who have worked really hard. I have stayed in touch with those in my area and last week we raised the issue of testing and tracing. I will be raising a significant matter that arises with respect to insurance but Mr. Daly is representing Nursing Homes Ireland, a representative body of for-profit and private nursing homes. Deputy O'Dowd has, over the course of his career, expressed concerns about how older people are cared for. The purpose of this committee is to assess the State response, and as Mr. Daly indicated, it is one of the most important analyses that may be conducted. It is in that vein that I wish to interrogate some of the matters raised by Mr. Daly.

The most important statement made by Mr. Daly, both here and in the media over the past couple of days, is that the sector felt isolated in early March, that this was distressing and that there was a lack of engagement. I will go through this as we now have the benefit of the correspondence between the Department and Nursing Homes Ireland. I apologise if this is dull but it is important to be careful.

Going back to the beginning of the year, there were two items of correspondence, with one relating to insurance and a second concerning a former Deputy, Mr. Jim Daly, who was not running for re-election. The correspondence of 28 February related to a call of thanks with respect to guidance on Covid-19. From 28 February onwards, there was very significant engagement on a daily and often multiple times daily. This was at assistant secretary level with Dr. Kathleen MacLellan. It is important because of what the witness said to go through some of the correspondence and I will give Mr. Daly the opportunity to respond at the end. Correspondence from the Department on 2 March states: "Thank you for your email. We continue to ensure members are appropriately informed.". The reply from Dr. MacLellan states: "Tadhg, many thanks for keeping me updated." I imagine some in the media will go through this correspondence but it is important for the committee's purpose for it to be done. On 4 March Dr. MacLellan wrote:

Tadhg,

... Yes I can confirm that there [are] a number of subgroups being established under NPHET. I will be chairing the Vulnerable People subgroup

Dr. MacLellan is the assistant secretary in the social care division and she indicates that she is chairing that subgroup and is the primary point of correspondence with Nursing Homes Ireland. Is that correct?