David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I shall first direct my questions at Mr. Walsh. The HIQA report relays and outlines concerns that were expressed by the chief inspector in terms of nursing homes. Some of the concerns were as follows: the absence of clinical governance in most nursing homes; staffing levels not what they should be; a difficulty in maintaining staffing levels in the event of sudden and unplanned absences; the availability of resources such as PPE; access to specialist expertise; the layout of centres; and a history of non-compliance with relevant key regulations. As people will know, 39 of the 44 centres did not comply with more than one of the measures.

Some of Mr. Walsh's colleagues were before this committee facing very tough questioning from its members. Senior representatives of the Department and HSE were playing down some of the issues arising in nursing homes and the fact that there was not a plan. Some of the issues being raised regarding access to personal protective equipment and the structural arrangement between the HSE, the Department and nursing homes were not as dramatic as made out. How does that now sit with the two reports we have, which clearly demonstrate there were failures and that we need to see very substantial changes in the clinical framework, governance and the relationship between the Department, the HSE and nursing homes? In Mr. Walsh's own words, could he explain the position of the Department and the HSE on the two reports, the recommendations therein and the issues that arise from them?