Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

TAPS for nursing homes was introduced last year as a temporary support to nursing homes during the most awful time. They needed all these supports, so the supports were put in place. The temporary assistance payment has been extended twice already and is due to cease at the end of June. My understanding is that the financial payments will cease at that time. However, all other supports will remain, such as the supply of PPE and of infection prevention and control measure supports in respect of the 23 Covid teams on the ground. It is important to recognise the situation we are now in regarding nursing homes. Almost 99% of residents and in excess of 90% of staff in nursing homes have been vaccinated. Thankfully, the numbers who have Covid in nursing homes is at an all-time low. There was only one outbreak reported last week.

I remember saying in this Chamber that there were outbreaks in 195 nursing homes. We hope to hold a residual amount of money as a small buffer, so that if, for example, a nursing home was to have a significant outbreak of Covid, it would be able to apply for financial supports. TAPS, as we know it, will come to a natural conclusion at the end of June, having already been extended twice.

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