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

It will be a very challenging winter. Experience across the world is showing that with a combination of influenza and Covid-19, or new waves and potential variants of Covid-19, it could be a very difficult winter. Covid numbers are increasing, which places real strains on our hospitals and nursing homes, results in delayed discharges from hospitals increasing, affects flows through hospitals, gives rise to things backing up and places people in emergency departments under real pressure. We started preparing for the winter in 2020 when we put €600 million into the winter initiative. This was to give full-time posts throughout 2021 and 2022. A further €160-odd million is going into this winter initiative to increase beds and get community and primary care services in place.

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