Ms Yvonne O'Neill:

There is nothing in what the Deputy has said regarding the impact of the pandemic with which the HSE or any member of staff of the HSE would disagree. It is important for us to emphasise, as Dr. MacLellan noted earlier, that although there was an increase in the rate of detected infection in nursing homes, that rate was much lower than the community rate. I want to make sure that people understand this point. Certainly, in terms of our residents, their families and our staff, it is important to acknowledge that they managed to keep the rate of increase of infection in our long-term residential facilities at a much lower level than was the case in respect of community transmission. That is in direct relationship to the work and efforts and the infection prevention control measures taken by all of our staff and their adherence to those measures.

As I mentioned in my opening statement, the detection rate of 2.3% for the seventh cycle of serial testing is a very small proportion of how high the community transmission rate got at the same time. We need to acknowledge that in order to make sure there is a proportionate view of the level of outbreak in nursing homes. Certainly, the HSE would be very happy to contribute to any analysis that may take place in any forum in regard to the management and prevention of outbreaks in any of our long-term residential facilities.

My colleague, Dr. Kennelly, wants to comment.