Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Gaslighting is the process of causing someone to doubt their own thoughts, beliefs and perceptions. We have reached a stage of Government gaslighting where people are quote-tweeting news headlines correcting the information that is being falsely peddled by the Government. The Government did not listen to NPHET advice in the run-up to Christmas and instead went along with what its lobbyist friends wanted. In the last week or so, the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Health have been doing interviews and completely contradicting themselves, refusing to accept responsibility for the fact that Ireland is now the worst in the world regarding the Covid resurgence.

I was dismayed to see that Letterkenny University Hospital has been so badly impacted by the latest wave of Covid. Earlier this week, staff were called to come in urgently so extra beds could be opened up. Patients were being seen and triaged in ambulances in the carpark. Owing to the high Covid numbers and the level of community transmission, we have a staffing crisis. Reportedly, around 170 staff from Letterkenny University Hospital are unavailable to work due to Covid. Staff in Letterkenny and other settings are working extra shifts to try to help in the effort to increase capacity. While the Government reopened the economy to let businesses boost their profits, those on the front line of our health services have had absolutely no let-up since early last year. They have made huge sacrifices in the fight against Covid and the Government has let them all down.

This morning, it was reported that health staff who were self-isolating due to their having been in close contact with people who tested positive for Covid have been called back in to work. I refer to those who are asymptomatic. Such is the crisis in the staffing of our health service that we are bringing potentially contagious staff back into settings with sick and vulnerable people and health staff, putting them all at risk. This is what happened in Letterkenny University Hospital last week. Staff were called back into work despite being identified as close contacts of people with Covid.

Today, there are just 24 available ICU beds in public hospitals across the country and 14 acute adult hospitals have no ICU beds available. The Minister's media appearances are not doing anything to reassure the public about the competency of the Government in handling this pandemic. If the Government could just give an honest, straight answer, take accountability for wrong decisions and clearly communicate how to make things better, there would be more buy-in. Yes, there is Covid fatigue but mainly there is Government spin fatigue. The Irish electorate are not stupid and do not like to be taken for fools.

Numbers in Donegal and other Border counties have been consistently high, as we have waited to see what belated action would be taken in the North. Months ago, I submitted freedom of information requests regarding the level of co-operation and forward planning taking place between the North and the South concerning Covid restrictions and management. I received responses from the CMO and the HSE basically stating that no contacts had been happening. I only received a reply yesterday from the Taoiseach's Department, which released one document from the 33 requested and that basically says nothing. That is the height of the co-operation taking place.

Yesterday, I attended the online meeting of the Oireachtas Disability Group at which we heard from organisations that work with people with disabilities. In the first wave in the UK, six in ten of all Covid deaths related to people with disabilities. Thankfully, we managed to avoid such a terrible fate here but there are serious concerns about this wave and what is happening now. Support organisations have staffing issues due to the high rates of Covid infection, and there are no details available regarding the vaccination of people with disabilities who are under 65 years of age. Will staff in section 38 and 39 organisations be treated as equally essential in respect of receiving vaccinations?

At the start of the pandemic, disability organisations were included on the NPHET Covid-19 vulnerable people subgroup, but that subgroup was disbanded last year. Why? Advocates say they are noticing the acute gap caused by not having this subgroup in place and have called for its urgent reinstatement. Surely, with Covid numbers as high as they are and have been, vulnerable people should be represented. How many women are in the room with the decision makers? How can we be protecting all of society, if we are only hearing from male and pale voices? That is not to be disparaging about NPHET, but we must make an effort to ensure that diverse and representative voices are present at the tables at which decisions are being made.

A final point I will make in the brief time available concerns high-risk groups whose pandemic unemployment payments have been reduced to €203 per week. Members of the Oireachtas Disability Group mentioned this aspect also. There are some people who are high risk but whose workplaces remain open. With uncompromising employers and-or without the possibility of working from home, there are instances where people are being forced to go to their workplaces, despite their high-risk vulnerability. This needs to be investigated. The Minister, the Government and its lobbyists always focus on employees, but Covid has given an opportunity for exploitative employers to be uncovered and penalised, if the Government wishes to do that. It will be interesting to see if it will. Sadly, we are almost a year into this crisis and what is obvious is that all the Government is interested in is publicity and publicity stunts. It has learned nothing. More gaslighting is all we are getting.

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