Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister knows, some months ago a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Department of Health and its counterpart in the North in relation to co-operation in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. In the meantime, there have been meetings at political and official level between both Administrations and that is welcome. Unfortunately, there have been increasing incidences of the virus in areas both north and south of the Border over recent weeks. Many eminent persons in different areas of medicine, such as Professor Sam McConkey and Dr. Gabriel Scally, have repeatedly spoken about the need for greater North-South co-operation. Will the Minister indicate if there are Government proposals to introduce new measures and intensify existing co-operation on an all-Ireland basis in dealing with the pandemic? We must take a greater all-Ireland approach or we will never rid our island of this virus.

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