Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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155. To ask the Minister for Health if all adult disability day services will be open to full capacity when Covid-19 restrictions are lifted or reduced. [3685/22]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Adult day services across the country reopened at full capacity on October 22nd 2021, in line with the government's COVID 19 response ‘Reframing the Challenge’ roadmap for the lifting of restrictions.

Regular updates on the resumption of adult day services for service users and family members have been available via the HSE's website.

In addition, all residential service users that received their day service at a location pre-COVID should now have resumed location-based day service supports.

Infection prevention and control measures that have been introduced to support the safe delivery of adult disability day services since the onset of COVID 19 currently remain in place. These arrangements include risk assessments, enhanced environmental hygiene, and pod like arrangements in day service locations. Mask wearing will remain in place in day services, except for those who are exempt from wearing a face covering.

Since day services reopened after the Christmas break on January 4th 2022, the HSE has been closely monitoring the impact of the current COVID surge in the operation and delivery of disability day services. There are some staff shortages in day services due to staff being COVID positive or a COVID close contact. This has led to some day services operating at reduced levels or having to close for the period of staff quarantine/sick leave. There are also shortages within residential services, and some day service staff have been redeployed to cover residential staff rosters.

The HSE continue to monitor the situation and the priority of the HSE and the Department remains the safe provision of adult day services.