I reiterate the concerns over the news of cases and a cluster in a nursing home. I presume that we have a better plan for residents in nursing homes and those who run them than we had last spring.

I have raised the issue of testing and tracing with the Taoiseach time out of number. We are being contacted increasingly by parents across the State who are facing lengthy delays for tests for their schoolgoing children. There was a delay of up to six days in one case I dealt with. Those affected include children with underlying health conditions. Could the Taoiseach respond to that? My position remains that our testing and tracing system is still not up to scratch, months and months later. That is deplorable. Could the Taoiseach respond in respect of children of schoolgoing age, in particular?

I thank the Deputy for raising that issue. About 200,000 tests have been undertaken in nursing homes for healthcare workers across 565 homes since early July. One would get the impression from certain Deputies in the House that nothing at all is being done, that there has been no expansion of the testing programme and that there is no increased capacity. I describe the reality. There have been 381 positives out of the 200,000 tests undertaken as part of the serial testing programme of the HSE. Some 27,000 tests have been done in the meat plants, with testing across 80 plants since 21 August and with 107 positives. As I said, 303,000 tests have been undertaken in direct provision since 12 September, with 18 positives.

With regard to schools, mass testing of 250 schools, including crèches and primary and secondary schools, based on public health advice-----

I thank the Taoiseach.

It is important for me to conclude, if I may. Roughly 5,890 teachers and students have been tested, with 112 positives over and above the index case, which gives 0.19% positivity. I could go on but I obviously do not have time.