Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. First, the situation in our hospitals remains very precarious and, unfortunately, it is continuing to deteriorate. The very best way we can support the staff working in our acute hospitals is to continue to abide by the restrictions, to social distance and to do all the things that are being asked of us. That is what we need to do to decrease the number of people getting Covid and going into hospital. That is the best way that we can turn the corner on the current situation. As the Deputy will know, the situation in Northern Ireland is similar, if not worse, so I do not think today is a day when Sinn Féin, which is in government in Northern Ireland, should be scoring political points on an issue like this. The job that party has done in Northern Ireland is not one to be proud of, in my view.

In regard to the hospitals, at the moment there are 1,838 patients with Covid in our hospitals and 176 in ICUs. What is somewhat encouraging is that the number of admissions to hospital yesterday was 149 but the number of discharges was 128, so the net increase, at least in the past day, was much smaller than on previous days. There is a glimmer of hope. Cases have been falling now for a number of days. We may see the total number of people being hospitalised starting to fall in about a weeks' time and ICU numbers starting to fall in maybe two weeks' time, but it will be a very difficult, precarious and dangerous situation for the next two weeks, at the very least, in our hospitals. In total, across the hospital system - I appreciate it varies from place to place - there are 510 acute beds and 29 ICU adult beds free today. There are also paediatric beds. It is possible, and not unusual, for people to be transferred from one hospital to another where there is capacity. There are 29 ICU beds and 510 acute beds available today across the system.

In regard to solutions, which the Deputy touched on, and what we can do to alleviate the situation to make sure our hospitals do not become overwhelmed over the next couple of weeks, there is the deal with the private hospitals. That allows us to use up to 60% of their capacity, not 30%. Those discussions are under way with hospitals at the moment. The 30% is secured and a further 30% can be sought and has been sought. We are going to try to access that. It is also possible to create surge ICU capacity within our hospitals. We have increased ICU capacity since this time last year but, as people appreciate, an ICU bed is not a bed. It is an entire care system and it requires trained and qualified staff. We have the kit. We have 1,800 ventilators and we probably only have 100 or so people on ventilators at the moment. We have 1,800 ventilators and we have the kit, but having the staff trained up and ready to go is a different matter. Some are out sick, some are close contacts and cannot come to work and lots are really exhausted after a very difficult year, which the Deputy will appreciate. We can provide extra ICU capacity, which is the surge capacity, by turning ordinary wards, theatres and recovery areas into additional ICU beds.

In terms of the Be on Call for Ireland issue, I will ask the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, about that and come back to the Deputy on it.

My understanding is that when we ran that programme some months ago it ran into real difficulties because a large number of people who signed up were not qualified. Many were already working, for example, in nursing homes and were seeking to transfer to hospitals. That is not something we wanted to happen because nursing homes are under pressure as well. I will certainly seek an update from the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, on that and come back to the Deputy.

The Deputy asked about working visas. I was not aware that was the situation with regard to working visas in my Department. There can be delays but the turnaround times given by the Deputy now versus then are new to me. I will take that up with my Secretary General to see if there is something we can do.

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