Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. Her questions were being put quicker than I was able to write them down so I ask her to bear with me. I will revert to her in writing on the ones we cannot reach.

In terms of GP expansion and capacity, we brought legislation through the House last night to expand free GP care for children from the age of seven up to and including those aged 12 years. It is being done in three phases: six and seven year olds, eight and nine year olds; and ten, 11 and 12 year olds. However, we have to be very careful that it is done at the same time as capacity is increased for GPs. I put something online last night saying we had just brought the legislation through the House and the response from GPs, who had not heard the debate here, in which we went to great lengths to provide assurance on this, was very negative. They were saying, "For the love of God, you cannot just increase demand without increasing capacity". Our message is that we agree 100%, and we will be discussing these issues at length with the IMO and GPs to make sure they are done hand-in-hand. When it is done, however, it will apply to 300,000 boys and girls in the country. That is something everyone in the Oireachtas should be very proud of as we will all have to sign off on the money required to make it happen, but only at the same time as capacity is increased.

With regard to the follow-up on the Covid tests, I agree that the numbers are lower than we would have hoped. It is for close contacts. There are myriad reasons people are not turning up. Quite a number are turning up for the first test but not for the second. We need to look into that. All of us as public representatives need to get the message out that it is critical that we download the app and that if we are contacted as a close contact we have to take it seriously. This is literally a life and death situation and all of us need to do our best. I agree it is inconvenient. It is not a particularly pleasant test and many people are afraid. They prefer to avoid it, and I understand that. All of us understand that but it is one of those things that we simply have to do together.

Day services for people with intellectual disabilities are a crucial element of the health service and the community care that we have to get back open as quickly as possible. I raised that directly with the HSE officials this week and I can assure the Deputy they are on it. They, and we, are acutely aware that there is no time period that is quick enough for these children or adults. There is no time period that is quick enough for their families because they are desperate, and they have been through so much. Respite and day services were closed down. It is complex from a Covid perspective. The HSE is working organisation by organisation to get them opened as quickly as possible. We are doing what we can, and every effort will be made, but I fully acknowledge that the situation for many adults, children and their families is very difficult.

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