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

I thank the Deputy. In the context of his recent announcement, I wish him the very best, although he very quickly said to me in the corridor that it would not spare him from harassing me, politically speaking, for the next while. He will be as robust as ever.

I acknowledge the Deputy's long-standing and consistent support of the long Covid issue. Very few Deputies have put as much work as he has into endeavouring to understand the prevalence of long Covid across the population and the consequences for individuals and families. I appreciate that. He has argued on the health side for quite some time. The Minister for Health is primarily responsible for developing a national strategy and service for long Covid. Some €2.2 million was allocated for service development last year. The figure for 2023 is €6.6 million. That will ensure the provision of post-acute and long Covid clinics operating within each hospital group to ensure there is a national service. Post-acute clinics are managing patients between four and 12 weeks after the initial onset of infection. Long Covid clinics are managing patients 12 weeks post the onset of infection. The Deputy knows the list of hospitals involved.

It is important that we work on the research side and endeavour to get a proper handle on the longer term implications. The Deputy focused on occupational illness today. He has had good responses from the Ministers, Deputies Humphreys and Coveney. He knows the way Government works. This is an issue we will examine. Fundamentally, we will come to the Estimates and have collective responsibility. It will be an issue we have to examine collectively with the Ministers for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and Finance. The Deputy has made a reasonable case. I appreciate that and we will work across government to address this aspect of the long Covid issue.

We have made significant progress on the health side in terms of the provision of a wide range of facilities, including a tertiary neurocognitive clinic in St. James's Hospital, led by a consultant neurologist. There will be many multidimensional aspects to the long Covid issue we will have to deal with over the longer time. On the income and occupational illness side, the Deputy has identified an issue we have to come back to him on. We are examining it within Government.

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