Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will start with the Deputy's last question. I believe this has exposed a great inequality that exists in society. While I do not yet have data, I do not need them to tell me that it is harder to isolate in crowded accommodation. I do not need the data to tell me that vulnerable people living in congregated settings are more at risk or that it is more difficult to ask those who are managing to keep well to stay in the family home when it is cramped or crowded than it is to ask those of us who do not live in such circumstances. I would absolutely ask for such analysis to be done, although at the right time so as not to interrupt the work against the pandemic.

I share the Deputy's gut instinct in respect of the matter. It also raises the issue of universal access to healthcare and how we try to deal with that during a pandemic. Hopefully, we will take forward some of those learnings beyond this pandemic.

On the issue of swab tests, I will ask the HSE to reply in writing as to how many it had in each of those weeks.

On the issue of PPE, batch 1 was an order worth €31 million and its delivery was completed on 10 April. It consisted of 60 flights into our country and 33 million items. Batch 2 is on its way and is due to commence delivery on 17 April. It has a value of €67 million and will contain 11 million gowns or coveralls, 7.5 million gloves, 2.5 million face shields, 6 million respiratory masks, 10.6 million surgical masks and 3 million pairs of goggles. We are also working to see if we can get batch 3 advanced further. I accept there are challenges in this country in respect of PPE, as there are in every country, but the HSE, working with a number of State agencies and industry, has done a very good job in securing a supply line. I would rather be in our position than in that of some other countries. Nevertheless, we are not in any way complacent in this regard and are continuing to look at how we can ramp up supplies in our own country. That cannot be beyond the ability of our country. A company in Limerick that produces face masks has agreed to treble its supply, while we have set up a dedicated website - gov.ie/covidsupplies- for anybody in Ireland or abroad who thinks they can help us in that regard.

On the issue of the homeless, I will revert to the Deputy on the issue of PPE but, of course, it should be provided where clinically appropriate.

On the issue of Be On Call For Ireland, I have outlined the figures the Deputy referred to. The initiative is not the only route into recruitment. We usually start approximately 745 intern doctors each year, whereas this year we have decided to offer all 1,100 graduates an intern place. We have brought forward graduation ceremonies and are hiring more than 4,000 student nurses as healthcare assistants.

On the issue of SNAs, in order that I do not misspeak I will have to engage with my officials. I will issue an official clarification to the Deputy in writing by tomorrow.

We again discussed the issue of childcare at the Cabinet sub-committee earlier and some more proposals will go to the national public health emergency team tomorrow. It is proving trickier than we had expected, to be honest. We all want to introduce the measure but do not want to have an unintended public health consequence in that regard. Any of us who leaves our home and enters someone else's home is at risk of transmission. The Chief Medical Officer is working hard on the matter. Personally, I think there is more the public service could do. If someone is not an essential public service worker, he or she should be able to stay at home and not work. The State's contribution should be to enable someone to mind his or her child if that person's partner works in the health service. The State should show leadership in that regard and let some of our public servants not just work from home but stay at home if that assists the other person in the short term in going to work on the front line of our health service.

On the issue of medical card renewals, I do not want to see this become a burden for people during this time. I have made this clear to the Department and the HSE and will write to Senator Wall to clarify that further.

I thank the Deputy for his constructive engagement.

See this speech in context