Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My child got it about a month ago and it seems to be going well but I was not sure about the 20% take-up. We can follow that up. The Acting Chair is on the mental health committee and I praise Senator Black for heading up that committee. It is hugely important and she has done great work on many of those important issues and I wish her well in that committee.

The Acting Chair also praised Senator Doherty. Think of the work the Senator did in her Department when this Covid crisis arose and she was not elected to the Dáil. I pay tribute to her. She was a great leader, along with all the health professionals, front-line staff and all the people in the Department of Health. I am in that Department, having come from a business background, and I am hugely impressed by the talent, commitment and the fact that these are people at the top of their game. I came from a private background, having employed 30 people at one stage. Most of these people in the Department of Health could be put in as CEO of any multinational, not just in Ireland. That goes for most Departments I have seen. We are so thankful for the public servants and front-line staff we have. It is wonderful and I say that without fear or favour.

Visiting guidelines have been introduced to improve the safety of residents and patients. The Government is conscious of these difficulties. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre is reviewing visiting guidelines in tandem with stakeholders, including Nursing Homes Ireland. We are talking about resumption of services and building capacity for winter 2020 and 2021. This is a priority and is under way. The HSE financial allocations for 2021 includes: funding for ongoing Covid response, including personal protective equipment, PPE, and test-tracing; additional capacity for acute and community settings, an increase of 2,600 beds in such settings; increased community care, including home care hours, and enhanced community services; and improved access to care, including alternative pathways.

I come back to Senator Warfield, who spoke about addiction services reopening.