Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am pleased we are in a position in the Dáil where Deputies can ask when we can recommence elective work because if one looks at the modelling, as of today, had we not lowered the reproductive rate for this virus from just over 2.0 to where it is now, we would have seen 2,200 people in our ICUs today and would be in a very dire situation. That is not to take away from the very difficult and sad situation of the 103 people in our ICUs today and the worry that their families have for their well-being. We think of them. The Deputy is right that, thanks to the massive work of the Irish people, front-line staff and public health experts, we have a situation whereby we do currently have vacant capacity in our public hospitals and significant vacant capacity in our private hospitals, for which we are now paying for the next number of months. We need to get the balance right. We need to recommence some non-elective, non-Covid work because one can get sick and die from things that are not Covid-19. We do not want a situation where we come through Covid-19 as best we can as a country only to find that there is a very sad situation with secondary deaths from Covid-19, although we know that there will be an element of that. We must get the balance right. We must keep a certain amount of vacant capacity, particularly critical care and isolation capacity, in case a second wave does come. On Saturday we had a meeting with medical leaders from across the country, including a leading doctor from Limerick, about how we can have the non-Covid workstream alongside the Covid one and we will be using our private hospitals for that as well.

On the issue of NPHET, the roadmap and the timelines, I am not going to speculate on the record of the House today when I know that the plan will be published tomorrow, other than to say that it will be grounded in public health because it has to be. This is a public health emergency and the moment we decide to take any tack other than public health is the moment when we begin to lose the progress that has been hard won and hard gained at huge expense to the people. I hope that we will be able to provide a degree of certainty tomorrow in an uncertain world. If we can get the virus into this condition, what does that mean we might be able to do in society again? It is important to get all of us thinking, not just the Government and the Oireachtas, but sports clubs, schools and businesses. What does this mean for me? How might I have to adapt how I run my life, my business or my organisation? There will be a lot to discuss in that.

I am very conscious of the fact that over 70 is not old. I am very conscious that there are lots of people over the age of 70 who are very active. I am also very conscious that they see it as a bit condescending when politicians tell them to stay at home but we are doing it on the grounds of public health advice and nothing else. I am conscious of their health and well-being. It is not for me to predict what NPHET will do or to become NPHET but I know it is an area that the team is continuing to monitor very closely. Of course, people can travel and visit relatives to meet their care needs.

On the issue of Limerick and a laboratory, I would be very happy to take those details and talk to the HSE. We now have 27 laboratories across the country and are very eager to find any more capacity that we possibly can.

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