Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is absolutely no doubt that this virus does not discriminate in terms of age, gender or where someone lives in our country. However, we know that it has a significant impact on people of a certain age. Very sadly, nine out of ten deaths in our country, some 91%, have been people over the age of 65. Roughly two thirds of deaths have been people with underlying health conditions. This is a cruel, dangerous and disgusting virus that is having a particularly devastating impact on older people, particularly older people with underlying health conditions. In fairness to nursing home staff, the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, the HSE, the Department, GPs and public health doctors, a huge amount of work is under way to try to protect residents in nursing homes. We are seeing real challenges in this regard, not just in our own country but across the European Union. I have already outlined to the House a number of measures that are being taken to provide parity of access to personal protective equipment, to provide training in the use of personal protective equipment and to establish 18 Covid-19 response teams so that people can provide support to supplement the work of our nursing homes. We are providing staffing support, including 61 members of our own staff who are now directly working in nursing homes. I expect that number to grow significantly as a result of the redeployment agreement reached with the unions and representatives bodies, for which I really thank them. The financial scheme, which is worth €72 million, will open tomorrow. We may be able to get it open even earlier than that. I hope that the funding from that will start flowing to the nursing home sector next week. I now want to see a particular focus on an enhanced role for HIQA.

When we hear commentary on the nursing home sector we need to be very careful to take our cue from the regulator.

The Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, knows the nursing home sector better than any of us. It knows the sector inside out because it inspects the nursing homes. HIQA is already helping and doing a good job. Deputies will have heard the statements it has made. We need HIQA to shine a spotlight on the matter. I will be having another teleconference with representatives of HIQA tonight. I do not wish to be overly prescriptive but I would like to see a set of standards drawn up quickly by HIQA to address Covid-19 preparedness, in addition to the work that is already going on. I want our staffing beefed up in line with the redeployment. I want testing expanded to include testing for asymptomatic residents of nursing homes and staff. The Chief Medical Officer believes that to be key and I am guided by him.

We also have a lot of isolation capacity in the country at the moment and I have discussed that with representatives of the HSE. That is something we need to move ahead with if institutions cannot safely accommodate staff or, in some cases, residents, although I understand that can be difficult, sensitive and would have to be clinically-led. Those are the next areas on which we will focus.

Nobody can prevent every fatality from this disgusting virus that is causing such devastation but we can make sure that when we look back on this time, we did everything possible. That is what our focus is going to be on in the coming days.

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