Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Professor Mallon, Dr. O'Brien and Dr. O'Connell for their wonderful work very early on in the context of securing PPE supplies from China. Those supplies were badly needed in the teeth of this pandemic.

Earlier it was said that the geographical spread will determine further lockdowns. Obviously we need contact tracing and testing. I represent the constituency of Waterford where we have, thankfully, managed the Covid pandemic very well largely because of the provision of isolation rooms in the new Dunmore wing at University Hospital Waterford. I called for, potentially, Waterford and the south east to be allowed to open in advance of Dublin and stated that we were pegged with what was happening in Dublin. I agree with him that without a doubt we will have sectoral outbreaks in the country. I know it has been said that a written plan is being sought. Is there any plan that would allow regions of the country to continue to operate if there are clusters around the country?