Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is a public health crisis but we have to strike a balance. The Taoiseach spoke today of five conditions he will consider in respect of easing restrictions: the progress of the disease, healthcare capacity and resilience, testing and contact tracing capacity, the ability to shield and care for vulnerable groups, and the risk of secondary morbidity and mortality . Where does the Minister see those? He referred to Covid-19 being with us for a long time. How long does he expect that it will be a daily part of people's lives and in respect of the business sector?

Will the Minister clarify the area around elective work? For many people in Limerick and north Tipperary, some of the elective work that needs to happen is veering into the acute area. Where does that fall into the issue in terms of private hospitals? How can that capacity be used? The Minister referred to preserving that capacity.

Regarding people over 70 who are cocooning, I have elderly parents. They do not like to be called elderly, but they are. I have not seen them for over a month. The same is the case for many other people. In terms of lifting the restrictions, is the Government looking at ways in which family members outside the 2 km limit can see elderly relatives and check up on them while not coming into physical contact with them or undermining public health?

On testing and tracing, the University of Limerick is willing to provide testing and laboratory facilities on site for the community. Is the Department looking at regional testing? We must get back to some sense of normality in terms of business and daily life and in that regard, contact tracing and testing are key. We must get up to the 100,000 limit as quickly as possible because at the end of the day, peoples' lives are being impacted. Will the Minister look at it on a regional basis? One of the other issues coming up relates to third level students, many of whom will shortly be finishing their online exams. Most of them will not be going abroad to find jobs and there is a worry that many of them who are renting houses will not be observing social distancing. Is that being looked at or considered? I ask the Minister to address those points.

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