Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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896. To ask the Minister for Health if vetting was conducted of the experts appointed by the previous Minister for Health to the expert panel on nursing homes established in 2020. [26888/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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From both a clinical and a general operational perspective, the day-to-day running and management of a nursing home in a landscape with COVID-19 has required significant adjustment both in terms of preparation and mitigation against the virus, and in circumstances where the virus has appeared. These operational considerations will remain part of the landscape for the time being. Given these issues, it was critical that the package of expertise provided by the COVID-19 Nursing Homes Expert Panel would capture all of the skills and experience required to effectively deliver the terms of reference of the group, including operational and nursing experience regarding nursing home care. These were the primary considerations of the former Minister in establishing the Panel. The membership of the Expert Panel reflected the requisite skills and experience, including frontline experience during the pandemic from both a nursing home and hospital perspective.