Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The expert report is coming next week. I have not seen it but understand it has a long list of recommendations. The first focus has to be on making sure that the nursing homes are protected. The public health officials are saying, based on how they see this disease work around the world, that we will have a second surge. We hope that it will be low and that it will be localised geographically but we have to be prepared within particular communities, counties and cities for the prevalence rate to go up. The first focus is on making sure that every protection that can be in place is in place.

With regard to the Oireachtas, I am happy to come back to do statements and questions and answers. It is a matter for the Oireachtas but as someone who spent the last three years on the Committee on Health, I imagine that it will take on both the HIQA report and the expert report and looking at them in detail. It is not for me to say but I imagine that will happen. The officials and I will be available for that if the committee so chooses.

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