Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

On 10 September, the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Feighan, announced in the House that he had approved emergency funding to offset the cost of delivering drug and alcohol services in a Covid-19 environment. Six weeks on, there have been two upward movements in levels and four Government scandals, but the funding is still not available. The only response I have received to multiple parliamentary questions I have tabled on the funding shortage is that it will be announced shortly. I have spoken to the Minister personally on this matter and I raised it in the House. The funding for these groups that badly need it was announced six weeks ago, but there is still no sign of it. How much longer must these groups wait? Will they get their money before Christmas or afterwards? Many of them have limited funding. They are expected to make their services Covid-19 compliant and to get PPE in order to be able to continue to provide services. The Minister of State announced that support would be made available, but where is it? I ask the Minister to announce today, or next week at the latest, where the support is and when people will get it. These groups badly need it.

Last Monday, I contacted the Minister to seek clarification on whether addiction groups and services and recovery groups could meet under level 5. The groups had serious issues during the first lockdown, which they got over. We have since gone through levels 2 and 3 and are now in level 5. The groups deal with people in recovery who need to meet in person. These are essential services. They are health meetings that people need. Does the Minister realise the suffering those in addiction services or recovery services are going through? Some people have asked me if the Minister is out of his depth or whether the issue is a lack of caring. I care. That is why I am standing here and again raising the issue of those in addiction services and recovery. I will continue to do my best to highlight these issues. I wish to work with the Minister on them because these people need support and clarity.

Earlier today, I raised with the Minister for Health my serious concerns regarding tracking and tracing. In early September, I attended a meeting with HSE officials for Cork and Kerry, at which I referred to their announcement to hire 60 staff for tracking and tracing. I stated that I did not believe 60 staff would be enough. Some 96 staff were originally redeployed to tracking and tracing for the area. I could not understand how 60 new staff can replace 96 staff who must go back to their original jobs by 2 November. Only 30 new staff have been taken on so far. At the meeting, I outlined my concern that if a second wave was coming, more staff would be needed for tracking and tracing.

I do not know if the work was done to plan for the second wave. What were we doing over the summer to ensure that we had all the proper procedures, guidelines and supports in place when this second wave came? Based on what happened at the weekend and based on what I went through with my own family, I do not believe it was done. Many people suffered during the first lockdown and we had a chance to build capacity and bolster our health service. Only two additional ICU beds were added in Cork since May. We are talking about being prepared for the virus and the second wave. How can the Minister stand over two additional ICU beds for Cork?

There are serious concerns about Mount Cara residential nursing home in Cork city, a facility with a bed capacity of 25. Serious issues led to it closing in January. There is an attempt to privatise it. I have written to the Minister, the Taoiseach, the board of management and the HSE. No community-based residential care centre should be privatised or sold off. Now is the time when we need to support communities. I ask the Minister to step in and ensure that happens.

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