Mr. Jim Breslin:

I will take that question initially. Throughout the process, we have gathered evidence internationally and repeatedly as part of the NPHET process. I refer to what measures have been taken across all countries and what we can learn from them. That includes people to whom the Deputy referred. When I say the data do not give us a definitive picture, I mean there are things we can learn from everybody, and we have been doing that.

When it comes to the data, there are two main types. One is fatality rate, which is generally the number of cases and how that number converts into mortality, in other words, how many people got Covid-19 and how many died. The second type, which is what the Deputy referred to and The Sunday Business Post produced, is excess all-cause mortality over this period. Regarding the second type, it is important which time period is picked. We will learn more from this as time goes on. We went through our excess mortality period using the up-to-date data from the rip.iewebsite. We went through those data in March and April. That rate has now subsided, but other countries are continuing to have excess mortality. In saying that, I am not taking from the fact that we zero in on particular countries and particular measures that have been taken. The NPHET measures for nursing homes taken at the end of March and start of April were based on evidence gathered internationally on what others were doing.