John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

What is the HSE's response to the various concerns raised by the two witnesses this morning? How many inspectors does HIQA have? Why is there a designated inspector for individual nursing homes? Would it not be better to have random inspections? Did HIQA receive any complaints from nursing home staff, families of residents or individuals with knowledge of nursing homes and the care of the elderly at this particular stage in Covid-19? If so, what was its reaction to them?

In his opening statement this morning, Mr. Taylor stated there was little knowledge of the nursing home sector in the HSE. However, it is the HSE and the nursing homes support scheme that gather all the information on each individual client in these homes. There is, therefore, a lot of information circulating within the system and that seems to have been ignored. Those are my first questions.