TDs are calling for an emergency Dail debate following the breaking news about an outbreak of 31 Covid cases in a nursing home in Laois.
News of the cluster comes just a day after the Government rejected NPHET’s strong recommendation to move the country to Level 5 of Covid restrictions.
Instead, the Taoiseach announced last night that the country would move up one notch, to Level 3.
Nursing home residents were among the most vulnerable to Covid during the first lethal wave in March and April, with over 1,000 deaths in nursing homes nationwide.
The outbreak in Laois is the first major outbreak since early summer.
Sinn Féin’s party whip Padraig MacLochlann has asked for special time to deal with the nursing home news and the wider Covid issue.
He said: “There are developments that are happening that require urgent adaptation by this House and there needs to be accountability to this House from ministers.
“So I am calling on behalf of Sinn Féin for the schedule to be changed to make space for statements from the Minister for Health in relation to what has happened here.”
Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald, added: “I presume we have a better plan for nursing homes and those that run them than last Spring.”
Sinn Féin were backed in their calls by independent TD for Roscommon, Denis Naughten.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin suggested that time could be set aside on Friday if the business committee of the Dáil agrees to it.
Mr Martin said that testing has been ramped up at nursing homes since the Spring, with 200,000 Covid tests carried out.
