Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

On the ICU beds, where will our permanent ICU capacity be at the end of this year? There is no doubt that we are doing an unbelievable number of PCR tests. However, the Government has had to get the private companies into Dublin, Cork and now Shannon airports to try to meet demand. Last year, I and others in opposition asked the HSE to set up facilities in airports. The Opposition has been trying to give practical solutions over the course of this pandemic. If we had been listened to at the time we would not be scrambling for private capacity to be used to try to meet demand for PCR testing. It is still not working. It is still not enough. We still cannot get tests. If you logged on right now at lunchtime in this country, you would not be able to get a test. You would have to stay up late until 12 midnight and refresh screens to try and get a cancellation test. It is just not good enough. People are really upset out there. They are expecting restrictions coming down the line. That is the message I have been getting all the last few days, that further restrictions are coming down the line. The Taoiseach’s Government is going to have to get straight with people. They are going to have to make long term plans and stop operating as if this wave will be our last. We need to operate as if this virus will be here for next couple of years, as the World Health Organization, WHO, says, and plan accordingly.

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