Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have just a couple of questions. Over recent months, there were obvious signs of an escalation in the incidence of the virus throughout the country. What system did the HSE have to identify the cause of the escalation? To what extent was the HSE in liaison with local communities or similar to identify, first of all, the main cause? I know there has been a return to schools and a return to business. That is one thing but, for example, I and many others were contacted by countless people who brought to our attention wide-scale non-adherence to the basic advice given. In order to combat the virus, did the HSE consider any means or methods to address the staff requirements for combating large numbers of the public ignoring the need to wear masks, observe social distancing and hand hygiene and virtually everything else? There were countless instances in many towns and villages throughout the country that would illustrate large numbers of people ignoring all the regulations, including going on holiday to some of the places that are known virus black spots and returning to the community. What methodology was used to monitor that kind of activity in order to be able to prepare the HSE for the monitoring and the testing and tracing that would ultimately follow?