Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This is my first time addressing the Minister in the House so I warmly welcome him here. I commend him on the outstanding job he is doing in health which, in fairness, is something that has been acknowledged by all sides of the House.

I am sure the Minister is familiar with the very sad situation that obtains at Oaklands nursing home in Listowel, which is about two miles from my home. It has made the headlines recently for all the wrong reasons, in particular the fact that 23 out of 24 patients proved to be Covid-positive and, as of this morning, we had six Covid-related deaths. Just now, as I was walking into the Chamber, I was informed that the number has risen to eight. I sympathise with the afflicted and with the families of the bereaved. It is a terrible time for them. The reason I tabled this question is to try to help them to get information. They are very reasonable people but there has been a communications deficit both regarding what is happening in Oaklands and what is happening in some of the other community care facilities around the county, including in the town of Kenmare, as you know well yourself, a Chathaoirligh.

The situation in Oaklands is disturbing insofar as there is plenty of evidence to show that HIQA had concerns about the facility for a substantial period.In its most recent unannounced visit during the summer, it found quite a number of deficiencies in the management, and a big list of improvements to be made was drawn up at that time. Unfortunately, we have no knowledge of what was taking place before the outbreak of the pandemic in Oaklands nursing home, but certain questions have to be raised. What was the follow through action on the issues flagged during the HIQA visits, and who supervised it? Either the facility was working appropriately and adequately or it was not.

I refer again to the issue of communications. The families involved, like all families, have suffered so much, and they have not been able to attend the funerals of their loved ones. The very least they need to know is what is happening there right now and what the immediate plans for the future of that facility are.

I will speak briefly on the other issue I wish to raise. As the Minister of State knows, patients from the nursing home have been dispersed to other community care facilities in the county. Latterly, and in the past few days in particular, this has given rise to widespread concern in all the other hubs involved in Kerry. I would like to know whether it is true that in places such as Kenmare there is an increased level of infection, either among the patients or the staff in the nursing homes there. Are there adequate staff rotation systems in place, for example, in Kenmare? What additional facilities does the Minister of State think should be provided to help homes like those in Kenmare to deal with the incursion that has been visited upon them as a result of the Oaklands situation? I am not trying to make any political capital out of this situation, and even though it is happening close to where I live, I have no real involvement in or knowledge of Oaklands nursing home. Like all the other facilities, it seemed to be working reasonably well, but this was all going on behind the scenes and we did not know about it. I look forward to hearing the Minister of State's response to the issues I have raised.