Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have two questions. Will the Taoiseach give an explanation as to why the long Covid clinic at the Mater hospital in Dublin is to close? What is the basis for that decision, which seems deeply unwise?

Second, I refer to community disability services, which have been caught in a debacle around the transfer of functions from the Department of Health to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The reality is that unless matters are resolved speedily, we will have a real crisis in the delivery of services. As the Taoiseach knows, €65 million in one-off funding has been agreed but, so far, the Ministers, Deputies Donnelly and O'Gorman, have not allocated those moneys. This has left the Taoiseach's colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, between a rock and a hard place. Community disability services will haemorrhage staff by year's end if this funding is not released. I spoke to one service provider that is looking at losing six staff members by the end of next month. That is how critical this issue is. Will the Taoiseach intervene on the matter?

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