Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is something we might put to the representatives of the National Ambulance Service when they are before the committee later. My mother fell two weeks ago and broke her hip. The ambulance was there in 40 minutes. I am being told that is a good result, given the fact that people in a similar situation can be waiting up to two hours. The biggest problem is the reliance on overtime. That seems to be a major problem. Overtime should be considered a stopgap, something that is used in rare situations when required. It certainly should not be standard on a weekly basis. Are our guests aware of much absenteeism as a result of Covid-19? Have many members of our guests' organisations been hit with Covid? How has Covid affected our guests and the jobs they are doing? I know there is increased use of personal protective equipment and so on. Would many members of our guests' organisations feel they contacted Covid through their work? Have many been off sick with Covid? Are many of them now suffering with long Covid?