Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

I have two questions. If it is possible to follow up on the nursing homes issue that Deputy Gino Kenny raised, I will start with one and get an answer.

The Minister underplays the HIQA report. The rate of non-compliance with infection prevention and control regulations was 50% across all nursing homes inspected. The regulation on suitability of premises had a non-compliance rate of 32%. Some 21% of homes had staff shortages. One of the key findings was about how infections got into the homes. It reads: "inward transmission into nursing homes by staff is a key likely source of its introduction to these settings." However, it does not analyse why it got into some homes and not others or the relationship between staffing structures, the use of agency staff and inward transmission of infections. The inadequacies revealed in the report suggest that these problems cannot be resolved within our current for-profit system and that the care system needs to be integrated into the public healthcare system.

I have a general question for the Minister that he might be able to answer quickly before I ask my question on schools. Does he agree that there needs to be a full public inquiry into Covid-19 in nursing homes as well as the structure of the system of care for older people?

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