Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Certainly, when this pandemic ends there will need to be a review so that lessons can be learned right across Ireland's response because we would be stupid not to do that. We need to make sure that we know what we did well and what we could have done better. When one is operating in the middle of a pandemic, one is making decisions in real time and often decisions have to be made on the spot very quickly. It is important that we learn in that regard. I also believe an objective review would perhaps debunk some of the assertions Deputy Tóibín has made in regard to visitor restrictions and the impact that has had because NPHET has already done and produced charts in respect of the visitor restriction time and the time the virus became prevalent in nursing homes. There does not seem to be a correlation between visitors and the prevalence of the virus but, yes, there should be a review.

In regard to who speaks for nursing homes, Nursing Homes Ireland speaks for nursing home owners and does that very well. It is a very good organisation. In terms of who speaks to me in respect of nursing homes in the sector, it is the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, the regulator, set up by this House. It has sat on the national public health emergency team since the very first meeting and is who I engage with very regularly.

The Deputy makes a fair point regarding secondary morbidity and secondary mortality. He will see in the Government roadmap published that that is one of the criteria which we will report against in Cabinet every three weeks before deciding to move from one phase, or indeed not being able to move forward. It is a very difficult challenge but, thank God, we are now in that position where we can ask how we can make sure that we keep non-Covid care going alongside dealing with this virus. Had we not suppressed the virus we would not have the opportunity that we are now having to talk about turning back on other health services.

I want to assure the Deputy that, in regard to testing, this country compares very favourably with many countries. It is not my data but the Our World in Data website ranks this country fourth highest out of 25 EU and UK countries in terms of testing completed as a percentage of the overall population, ahead of Estonia, Portugal, Italy, Latvia, Belgium, Austria, Germany, Spain, Slovenia, Finland, Slovakia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Sweden, France, Romania, Poland-----

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