Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

When hospitals and other HSE facilities closed on 16 March, dentists were told to continue working. No PPE was offered to them, yet they had to provide emergency cover. All GPs are getting €30 per Covid telephone consultation and a capitation fee for medical card holders. The Minister said he is meeting with dentist representatives tomorrow and I will take it as read that these matters will be resolved.

I fully agree with what has been said about masks and the importance of masking up. I take the opportunity to thank a company called Irema in Limerick, whose details I have given to the Government and party leaders. Today, this company is putting in eight new machines, which amounts to a quadrupling of its production capacity. It is nice to see that the masks are being made in this country and we are not getting inferior PPE as we have had from other countries. I thank the management and staff of Irema for investing in the country's health and keeping us to the forefront. Well done to Irema.

On a disappointing note, I contacted the Minister's office to inform him about a company in Limerick with a mobile testing unit which has offered its services. I sent the same information to the HSE. This mobile unit is self-contained and has fridges, power, computers and all the facilities that are needed for testing. The company also supplies marquees so that testing personnel do not have to go into any premises. The testing can be set up outside in a courtyard and people can come out to be tested, which means a building is not required to do the tests. This was done last week in St. Joseph's Foundation in Charleville, where the whole system was set up in the courtyard, and it was an absolute success. As I said, the people doing the tests do not have to go into premises. They can even cover buildings if they have to with the facilities they have. The company has offered a 24-hour service with a three-hour turnaround and the unit can be brought to anywhere in the country. The staff are willing to work through the night and this would help the testing situation. Why are we not using these facilities that are being offered? I am disappointed that neither I nor the company got a callback in response to its offer.

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