Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I remember visiting Mindspace in Mayo with Deputy Dillon. It has written to me a few times and kept in touch with me, and I am very taken by the work it does. The Deputy is right to highlight the issue of mental health as one of the next huge challenges coming down the track. The Ceann Comhairle and I have been in correspondence in this regard. I think there will be a big body of work that this House, collectively, whoever is in government and whoever is in opposition - all of us - will be duty-bound to do in how we deal with the mental health fallout of this pandemic. We know we faced many challenges regarding mental health before Covid. We know that that will be compounded as a result of Covid. Deputies on all sides of the House have told me that one of the first steps should be the publication of a new Vision for Change. That will then mean that the new Government will not have to spend months and months deciding whether to publish, amend, review or think about it again; it will be out there. The Government's focus can then be on the implementation. This House's focus can then be on overseeing that implementation. Then there will be no excuse for a programme for Government, whoever wishes to form a Government, not to address this properly. I will keep in touch with Deputy Dillon on that.

Regarding Mayo University Hospital, I commend the staff there on the really good work they are doing. In the interests of time, I will write to the Deputy on some of the work being done to ensure separate pathways of care for Covid and non-Covid patients in that hospital. I am delighted to hear there has been no new Covid case for five consecutive days. The Deputy is entirely correct that the issue of isolation has always been a challenge in the Irish health service. It will only become a bigger one now. The Sláintecare office in my Department and the HSE board are both looking at Sláintecare, what is ahead of schedule and what is behind schedule as a result of the pandemic, and where we now stand. A new Government will have the benefit of that work when it takes office.

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