Results 8,201-8,220 of 24,567 for speaker:Róisín Shortall

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (26 Aug 2020)

Róisín Shortall: What did the Chairman say about ten minutes?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (26 Aug 2020)

Róisín Shortall: The rota circulated last night showed some members taking ten minutes.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

Róisín Shortall: I wish to start with the question of testing and tracing, which are some of the key tools in our living with the virus. It would be helpful if the witnesses were up front with the committee on the reasons the HSE is not using the full capacity of 100,000 tests per day. What is the main threat to having that kind of rapid and agile testing and tracing service in place? Is it a staffing...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

Róisín Shortall: I appreciate that, but will Mr. Reid be specific about what the main threat to utilising that full potential is?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

Róisín Shortall: Are there staffing issues?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

Róisín Shortall: I thank Mr Reid. We will pursue that matter with NPHET.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

Róisín Shortall: It is critical, however, that the HSE is geared up to respond rapidly if there is an outbreak.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

Róisín Shortall: I would like to ask about the flu vaccine for children.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

Róisín Shortall: Is the HSE discussing cost per item?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

Róisín Shortall: Will this mean requisitioning beds, etc.?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

Róisín Shortall: I would like to hear about the flu vaccine for children.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (Resumed) (26 Aug 2020)

Róisín Shortall: I welcome both our guests. I frequently struggle to try to figure out what our national strategy is with Covid-19. There are calls for different approaches and so on, but I assume there is a general approach that is about minimising the rate of the virus. Clearly, the whole test and tracing regime is a key element of that. We discussed that earlier with representatives of the HSE. In the...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (Resumed) (26 Aug 2020)

Róisín Shortall: Sorry to interrupt but is it possible to get those figures on an electoral division basis by week?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (Resumed) (26 Aug 2020)

Róisín Shortall: Can Professor Nolan answer the question I asked about the testing and tracing strategy? What are the priorities there and why are we not using the full 100,000 capacity?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (Resumed) (26 Aug 2020)

Róisín Shortall: I appreciate that but perhaps Professor Nolan could tell us exactly what the strategy is now in terms of targeting the high-risk settings.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (Resumed) (26 Aug 2020)

Róisín Shortall: I am not suggesting that but Dr. Glynn is saying that testing in direct provision will start. Why are we not doing it now? That is the point.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (Resumed) (26 Aug 2020)

Róisín Shortall: I welcome the Minister to the committee. Earlier, I think I heard him saying, in response to another Member, that randomised tests were being rolled out at airports. Is that right?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (Resumed) (26 Aug 2020)

Róisín Shortall: What is the point in having randomised tests at airports? It is not as if we are talking about drink driving, where we have randomised tests as a deterrent because people hide the fact that they are drink driving. Why would we have randomised tests for Covid-19 at airports?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (Resumed) (26 Aug 2020)

Róisín Shortall: Is the Minister aware of randomised testing being done anywhere else?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (Resumed) (26 Aug 2020)

Róisín Shortall: It seems to be a very strange approach to discouraging travel. Why would there not be a tightening up regarding incoming flights, or have stricter rules or enforcement of the rules, which has not been done in recent months? It defies logic that there would be randomised testing for Covid-19 at airports. What kind of percentage are we talking about regarding random testing?