Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies Danny Healy-Rae and Michael Collins. Deputy Healy-Rae made a very valid point on nursing home visits. I have been speaking to residents in nursing homes via FaceTime and I know how lonely people are feeling. I know how incredible the staff are in trying to ease that loneliness. I know how relatives go up to the window of a bedroom and phone from outside and have a conversation with their mother or father. People are trying very hard and it is very tough. The visitor restrictions were introduced to save lives and I am eager that if it is safe to allow visits again in some circumstances it will happen. The National Public Health Emergency Team considered this today and will be providing me with some advice tonight, and I will brief the Government tomorrow. I will keep the Deputy informed. I hear what he has to say.

With regard to Cahersiveen, I do not want to take up all of the Deputy's colleague's time so I will write to him directly on the issue. No one should be waiting 20 days for testing. I hope it is from a different time. If the Deputy has any cases where people are waiting I ask him to send them to me because I am very clear about what the HSE says about its turnaround times.

I am absolutely sympathetic and understanding of the very big challenges that sections of our economy face, the tourism sector being one. We have to follow the public health advice, I get that, but the Government will consider all these issues as we continue to work through our roadmap.

To respond to the Deputy Collins on Bantry General Hospital and the National Ambulance Service, I am glad his constituent is doing well and I am sorry to hear it happened. I will certainly seek a report from the HSE and the National Ambulance Service in this regard. Obviously, I am not familiar with the details and I thank the Deputy for bringing it to my attention. I can give a guarantee, and I gave it during a campaigning time when the House had been dissolved, that there are no plans to reduce current services in Bantry General Hospital. I have visited it and I look forward to visiting again and to the programme of investment there continuing.

With regard to the statutory instrument and the HIQA standards, in the interests of accuracy I will write to the Deputy on his specific questions.

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