Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will try to get through these questions. First, I had a meeting with the Disability Action Coalition, the Disability Federation of Ireland and the National Federation of Voluntary Service Providers in respect of a number of the issues that the Deputy has raised regarding disability funding. There are three elements to it. First, there is the 1% efficiency cut, saving or whatever one wishes to call it that they were meant to achieve this year. Being blunt and honest, they will not be in a position to achieve it and I have made that clear to them. We need to look at how we can formalise that and provide them with peace of mind in that regard in the coming days. Second, there is the issue of Covid costs. They have experienced Covid costs. They have done an incredible job of adapting their services. I have heard from them and from service users, particularly of the use of technology, which is something we will want to keep. My Department would like to support them in meeting the Covid costs like we have for other sectors. The third element is we need to see the full implementation of the Catherine Day report. That will be a job for the next Government. It should feature prominently in any programme for Government and this House should make sure that it happens.

In relation to private hospitals, we need to be intelligent enough to say when the situation changes in terms of the route of the virus that we need to show our flexibility but I need to be clear the HSE's view is that it will require that capacity, and that is my view too. That is how we make sure we get that right in addressing the issues the Deputy raises.

I must come back to the Deputy on the video fluoroscopy scans in Temple Street. I am not familiar with that but I will come back to the Deputy on it.

On the issue of visitor restrictions for hospices or for nursing homes, as I stated earlier the National Public Health Emergency Team will look at this. It cannot be beyond us as a country to work out ways of ensuring visits on compassionate grounds. One can get sick of loneliness. It has been a lonely and long time for people. Obviously, I am acutely aware of the issue the Deputy raises regarding people in hospices.

I am very sorry and angered that the Deputy has not received a response one month later. I will follow that up for the Deputy.

In relation to the issue of face coverings, I am a big believer in these. There is now public health guidance that one should wear face coverings on public transport and in indoor areas where it might be difficult to socially distance. We use the term, as the Deputy did, "face coverings", instead of "face masks", and that is intentional. It is easy to make these at home. We have advertisements to do that but so far these are on social media. I take the point that a wider public awareness campaign could be useful. I will take that up with the HSE.

On the issue of University Hospital Waterford and the cath lab, which is an issue I get asked about a lot, I will send the Deputy an up-to-date note because I do not have the information at the top of my head. The development of a second cath lab is funded and under way. It is crucial that Waterford has a second cath lab before it can provide a 24-7 service. There is a national cardiac review under way which will inform whether to provide a 24-7 service, and in what parts of the country too. I will return to the Deputy in writing on that.

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