Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. We will have to agree to disagree in terms of the issue around the imposition of restrictions in society. The measures we have taken overall have resulted in fewer deaths in Ireland and less severe illness than in other countries that took a different approach. Ultimately, the role of Government is to protect lives and public health to the very best of its ability.

In terms of the nursing homes scheme, and the TAPS in particular, the first point I have to make is that the results from the vaccination programme have been very significant in terms of nursing homes, with a reduction almost to the point of elimination of severe disease in nursing homes, among both staff and residents. The serial testing is revealing that and new protocols for visiting nursing homes have been introduced as a result.

That has been very positive and needs to be acknowledged. The Government has allocated very substantial resources under TAPS. It provides contributions to nursing homes towards the cost of maintaining isolation rooms and provided a one-off contribution towards temporary visiting infrastructure during winter 2020. Over 6,675 claims have been processed and approved since 10 May. Approximately €93.9 million in direct financial support will be provided to the sector in 2021, with €42 million provided so far. That is a very substantial allocation of resources.

In addition to TAPS, the HSE has provided other enhanced measures to support nursing homes and their residents in the context of Covid-19: the Covid response teams, access to PPE and oxygen, support for staff accommodation, access to training and the serial testing programme. As Deputy McNamara will know, priority vaccination was provided to nursing homes and the uptake has been extraordinary. I think it is at nearly 99%. The strong vaccine effect is very evident in the nursing homes, with huge reductions, as I have said, in the numbers of cases and outbreaks and in mortality.

Essentially, we are now into a different phase of the pandemic as we speak. The vaccination programme is having an impact. There are consequences to that as we move forward and allocate resources in a more targeted manner. Again, the Government will be there to support nursing homes. At the time of the introduction of TAPS, our nursing homes were in a far different position in respect of Covid-19. The outbreaks that were occurring are no longer occurring at all or in no way to the same extent or frequency. TAPS was part of a wider suite of supports. We should now evaluate and take lessons from the pandemic as to how in the medium term we can ensure a more supportive environment for nursing homes.

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