Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Burke for his compliments to the officials in my Department, the HSE and our incredible front-line staff. It is very kind of him. People have been working extraordinarily hard. He raised the important issue of the testing strategy for hospitals, that is, who is to be tested, the criteria for being tested and what we do about the testing of staff and patients. Those are key questions. I understand the clinical adviser for acute hospitals in the HSE has drafted a paper on this. It was first discussed by the National Public Health Emergency Team, NPHET, last week. Either it is meeting to consider the matter further as we speak or the meeting has just ended. I expect to have some answers on NPHET's decision shortly. It made a decision on the testing of nursing homes last week. This week we are returning to the issue of hospitals, including both public and private hospitals. I will revert to the Deputy when I have been updated on the NPHET meeting after this session.

On the issue of elective hospitals, as the Deputy fairly acknowledges, a lot of things were put on hold to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. The executive director of my Department's Sláintecare office is now prioritising recommendations to a new Government on how to kick-start several elements of Sláintecare. That will obviously be a matter for a new Government with a new programme for Government. I am here in a caretaking capacity to decide what to proceed with next, but I would certainly like to see the hospital in Cork move forward. Cork is an area that really needs capacity, as Deputy Burke has pointed out to me on many occasions. That will become more rather than less important in light of the need to deal with Covid-19 alongside non-Covid-19 care.

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