Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will direct my first couple of questions to the HSE. The report noted that the socioeconomic conditions that many essential front line healthcare staff are living under might be an essential barrier to effective infection controls, in particular staff who do not have access to sick pay, need to work in multiple facilities or live in crowded accommodation.

Public health officials are clearly on the record as having said that workers who need to self-isolate should have no fear about their employment and that economic circumstances should not be a barrier to people coming forward and getting tested. Has any consideration been given to providing some ring-fenced funding that will offer additional sick pay support for all nursing home workers as we approach winter 2020?

Several organisations, including SIPTU, raised recruitment concerns in nursing homes and said pay and conditions were a barrier to achieving safe staffing levels. The report recommends that contracts, pay scales and staff development in nursing homes require review and that there is an immediate and ongoing need to attract staff with career development opportunities. Are there plans to commission a full review into the pay and conditions of workers in the sector? When is that is likely to commence? Who will undertake the review? Will workers' representatives he included in the process?