Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have an important question. Can I get a note on the number of people currently working on contact tracing and the number of volunteers, and how those numbers have changed over time? I ask for a note on the difference between the use of and recommendation on face shields compared to face masks. A number of people have contacted me about the use of face shields because they can speak while wearing them and they are easier to wear than face masks which people cannot talk through.

I refer to the relationship between the United Kingdom and Ireland. There are different rules in both jurisdictions, depending on whether people live in the North or the South or in the UK. Do the witnesses not think that we need to address this issue in a significant way? People travelling to the UK through the North do not have to fill in any forms on their return, whereas people from the UK coming into Ireland through the South are required to. There are serious ambiguities.

My next question addresses a key point. I agree with Professor Mallon about the problem being exacerbated by the flu if there is a return of the pandemic. What should we do in terms of the flu vaccine? Should it be mandatory and available to everybody free of charge or should health workers, older people and so on be prioritised?

I have an important question.

The WHO tells us people aged over 60 and those with underlying conditions should use medical grade masks. People are told in the newspapers that medical grade masks are not available. People can go into Dunnes Stores, Lidl or pharmacies to buy masks but they do not know the quality of the masks they are buying. If people aged over 60 and those with underlying conditions are at a greater risk medically, surely it is incumbent on us to make sure those people get masks, that they get them for free if they are on low incomes, and that those masks meet the medical need, if that is what the recommendation is.