Results 1,721-1,740 of 6,944 for speaker:Michael McNamara

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (26 May 2020)

Michael McNamara: I am sorry, Deputy, but this is entirely my fault. Before the Deputy asks his question, I should say that I have realised that I have taken Deputies in the wrong order. The next speaker is actually from Fine Gael. My apologies.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (26 May 2020)

Michael McNamara: Okay. Deputy Doherty can proceed.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (26 May 2020)

Michael McNamara: I thank Mr. Walsh and Deputy Doherty. The Deputy has made his point. I call Deputy Colm Burke.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (26 May 2020)

Michael McNamara: I have a couple of questions before we finish. The witnesses from HIQA spoke about national clinical oversight. The Care Quality Commission, CQC, HIQA's equivalent in the United Kingdom, required that a clinical lead be identified by each care facility by 15 May because the situation in the UK at the time was the same as the situation still is here, wherein a number of different GPs were...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (26 May 2020)

Michael McNamara: It was not a recommendation; it was a legal requirement.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (26 May 2020)

Michael McNamara: Is "worthy of exploration" as far as Mr. Quinn will go?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (26 May 2020)

Michael McNamara: Does Ms Dunning have any view on the matter?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (26 May 2020)

Michael McNamara: The issue of rooms with more than one person was raised. I appreciate that this is not ideal and it is certainly not suitable in these times. Beyond that, however, there are patients who do not want to be in single rooms. I appreciate that it may not be possible to facilitate that now but hopefully it will be possible at some point after we return to normality. I expect there will be...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (26 May 2020)

Michael McNamara: Dr. Kennelly pointed out the frailties of the testing system insofar as one could test negative one day and positive the next. We need to be wary of that. Those who test positive are isolated for 14 days if they are in hospital or in a care facility. Are they tested again at the end of the 14-day period?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (26 May 2020)

Michael McNamara: If there is random testing in the population, how does one know whether it is somebody testing positive at the beginning of the 14-day period, at the middle of this period or at the end of it?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (26 May 2020)

Michael McNamara: I thank Dr. Kennelly for answering my questions and all of the witnesses for answering all of the questions of committee members.

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (27 May 2020)

Michael McNamara: I note the Taoiseach's comments on the committee's role with regard to the 2 m rule. I would certainly be happy to convey that to the committee and we will see if we are in a position to deal with it. The extra session we will have per week will certainly help us deal with more issues. We had the HSE representatives in last week and I asked what the testing was costing. It was at the...

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (27 May 2020)

Michael McNamara: It is a huge amount of money, particularly in circumstances where, as a former GP, he will know that a viral swab test that is referred by a GP practice in Ireland typically costs about €25. There may be differences - I am not saying there are none - but it does seem like a very large difference. In Vienna airport, and this brings me on to my next question, they are carrying out...

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (27 May 2020)

Michael McNamara: I have a very short question.

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (27 May 2020)

Michael McNamara: Driver testing is a livelihood issue for people in rural Ireland, as opposed to in urban Ireland where more public transport is available. A lot of young people need to sit their driver's tests to get a licence to get to work. Perhaps social distancing is not even being observed to get them to where they need to be. Is there any possibility of reinstating driver testing in cases of need,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (27 May 2020)

Michael McNamara: 271. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the teacher-pupil ratio can be reduced to help schools deal with the Covid-19 health crisis, get pupils back to school and provide a long-term positive impact on the well-being of students and their educational attainment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7993/20]

Estimates for Public Services 2020 - Vote 37 - Employment Affairs and Social Protection (Revised Estimate) (28 May 2020)

Michael McNamara: I am going to return to a couple of issues about which I have spoken previously in the Chamber, although I appreciate I have not had the opportunity to address my comments to the Minister personally, and I thank her for coming into the Chamber to answer questions. I wish to ask about the extent of the payments and who is covered and who is not. We are discussing opening up the economy and...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (2 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: Today Deputy Joe O'Brien will substitute for Deputy Ossian Smyth and Deputy Tóibín will substitute for Deputy Shanahan. Are the minutes of 19 and 26 May agreed? The minutes are agreed. A letter from Construction Industry Federation was sent under correspondence. I take it that the 36 items of correspondence are received and noted. Members will have received submissions for...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (2 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: I completely agree. That was raised by several members. A letter will go to the witnesses who came before the committee to ask them to explain the discrepancy between the answers we received and what was put in the public domain. However, we need to give them time to answer that before we bring them in again.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (2 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: It was sent today. We had agreed it Thursday morning. Obviously, yesterday was a bank holiday.