Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair for his patience. I have finally sorted out my IT issues. As Deputy Ó Cathasaigh said, many of the questions I was going to ask have been already posed. I will address a few points. I acknowledge the funding announced yesterday and it is a massive boost for this area. Hopefully, it will allow for further reopening in time. I also raise the issue of mental health supports, which are going to be partially funded from the moneys announced yesterday. I ask the Minister if he can give us clarity on the specific targets for that allocated funding. For example, will the money be directed towards additional emotional and therapeutic counsellors or will it be left up to each university to do what it chooses with its allocation? I would like the Minister to clarify what those specific mental health supports will be.

My second point concerns antigen testing. We have spoken about this aspect now for the best part of 18 months. To be fair, and I have said this to the Minister before, he always has been consistent in his position that we should embrace antigen testing. He stated that not in the context of antigen testing being a replacement for our overall policy in this area, but in respect of such testing having a specific role to play. The Minister has been consistent in making that point. He said in his opening statement that his Department had written to the Government's expert advisory group on rapid testing to request its early advice. When is a response anticipated? It is an important element in respect of preparations being made for the new term.

Turning to vaccinations, a previous speaker mentioned that the online portal is now open to those aged 18 to 24 yeas old and an increasing number of adults will now be vaccinated ahead of the return to college. I am always reluctant to ask former Ministers for Health about the current status of health affairs. However, given Minister Harris's former role, what impact does he think the increasing number of students being vaccinated will have on the overall return to college in September?