Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I intend to share time with Deputy Carol Nolan. Ar an gcéad dul síos I offer my deepest sympathy to all 444 people who have died, to their families and to healthcare workers in Kilkenny. The most trying and testing work of all is the work of the front-line staff who go to work day in, day out.

I want to be associated with the remarks on, and congratulations to, my fellow county man, Deputy Alan Kelly, on assuming leadership of the Labour Party. I wish Deputy Brendan Howlin all the best. He always worked well with us on the Business Committee and was cordial at all times to me. I wish Deputy Kelly the best.

I have nothing against Deputy Kelly's suggestion about May day but it would suit us better if we looked after the nurses and front-line staff and provided the childcare that we promised to them. That is not happening. They are getting accommodation in hotels, and I thank John Allen in Hotel Minella and many others who offered and are giving these supports. We need to provide the workers with certainty for their childcare needs. We need to support and acknowledge our support for An Garda Síochána as well as all the front-line services and community groups throughout the country for the work they have done.

I was appalled and desperately shocked to listen today to Dr. Lambert. It had to happen. The Taoiseach mentioned the most vulnerable, the elderly and the weakest. They are the people who are in there.

None of us knows, any of us could be there at any stage. They have been left short on everything. It is appalling what is going on. Last night, I had a manager telling me on the phone that she was shocked and laughing at what was being said on RTÉ news compared with what she was told at a high-level meeting yesterday morning. They were two different scenarios. At the meeting she was told she was not going to get any support from the HSE staff. There are two things going on. One is PR and one is spin. We need that to be clarified. We need to look after those in the nursing homes and ensure they have the personal protective equipment, PPE. We must ensure there is honesty and transparency because we will lose support from the public which has been gallant so far in this regard.

I am becoming unhappy with the figures. When it takes three weeks to get figures back, how accurate are these figures pronounced every evening? Are they being manipulated? I am concerned about those areas.

Criticism was made of a pharmaceutical business in Clonmel. I salute David Anchell who has succeeded in getting many of the reagents into Ireland. Hopefully, this will be on stream by this week. Where Tipperary leads, Ireland follows.

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