Ms Yvonne O'Neill:

I will not speak about any particular outbreak if that is okay. The HSE works very closely with all care providers, including any facility that is experiencing a high level of outbreak like the one the Senator described. The Covid response teams work with providers in the identification of agency staff. Where that is not possible, they have supported facilities experiencing outbreaks with redeployed HSE staff. We operate on the basis of shift to shift and day to day. We are literally in that level of close contact with providers when they are experiencing challenging outbreaks. By and large what we are able to do, particularly while staff are on Covid leave, is to stabilise shift and rostering levels to get the facilities through the worst days. There is very strong guidance on this and providers are, largely, very responsive to it in terms of cohorting residents to reduce the wider impact when significant numbers of residents test positive. Mr. Daly may wish to speak on this too.