Mark Wall (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will first join with my colleague in congratulating Cross and Passion College in Kilcullen on becoming the first attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, friendly school in Ireland. It is a very significant moment for the school, which has wonderful staff, wonderful pupils and a wonderful school community. I have visited it on many occasions. It is very important that we acknowledge that it is the first school in Ireland to achieve this.

I also congratulate the Irish Air Corps, as others have already done, on its significant birthday. A number of us were on the plinth as the aeroplanes flew over this morning. I acknowledge the work they do, much of which is literally under the radar. It provides humanitarian aid for many people.I acknowledge the Irish Air Corps on its 100th birthday. It is a very significant day for it and one we should all acknowledge.

I want to raise an item I have raised before. The housing aid and housing adaption grants, along with the mobility grants, offered by local authorities can be life changing and can ensure many of our older population can continue to live in their homes in comfort. However, I am increasingly getting worrying calls from applicants that they simply cannot afford to proceed with these grants given the rising building costs and the limits on possible payments on these grants through the application process. When I raised this previously, I was informed that a review of the process was under way and the amount and criteria of these grants would be reviewed. Unfortunately, I have not seen or heard of any update on them in the interim. I now have a growing list of people who simply cannot afford to proceed with their grant offer, and in some cases, the only avenue open to families to consider is long-term care for their loved one. The review of these grants cannot happen quickly enough. There is a standstill on so many of them. I would appreciate if the Deputy Leader could contact the Minister to seek an update on them and find out where that review is at this time.

I also raise the issue of mask wearing, which was raised by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO. It called for the reintroduction of mandatory mask wearing following almost 24,000 new cases confirmed yesterday evening, following on from almost 64,000 confirmed cases over the bank holiday weekend. Last night and this morning I received calls that up to eight ambulances were parked outside my local hospital, Naas General Hospital, in Kildare. The accident and emergency department was full, with many of those inside actually on chairs. It can only be imagined the pressure the staff are under in that hospital, having to deal with such high numbers. I am sure these scenes are being replicated in other hospitals. I listened to the Tánaiste reply to my colleague, Deputy Duncan Smith, when he raised the call by the INMO yesterday in the Lower House. He said cases are rising but he did not have the medical advice to make such a call on mask wearing. I sincerely think consideration needs to be given to strong advice at least on the wearing of masks in public settings and crowded places. I believe we owe it to those who continue to work on our front line to offer them as much protection as we can over the coming weeks, as we are told by the Tánaiste and others that cases will continue to rise over that time.