More than 2,000 nursing home residents have died from Covid-19 in Ireland and more than half of those deaths were recorded in the third wave. The Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, which is responsible for monitoring standards in all our nursing homes, both public and private, stated in its annual report, which was published last week, that 82% of nursing homes reported at least one case of Covid-19 and the virus still presents a real and present danger to the sector. HIQA is seeking an urgent review of the current nursing home care regulations.

At the same time, we have the Coroners Society of Ireland calling for a wide-ranging inquiry into all Covid-related nursing home deaths.

Its president, Frank O'Connell, believes there is a basis for a more wide ranging inquiry into all Covid related deaths in nursing homes, to deal with such questions as design, ventilation, isolation, staffing etc. Yet as we hear these calls the Department of Health is cutting back on the financial supports to the nursing home sector just as we face into a fourth potential wave from the Delta variant of the virus, which has been so deadly within the sector over the past year. The Department of Health has confirmed that the temporary assistance payment scheme, TAPS, which provides payment for Covid-19 infection control measures is to be completely withdrawn from the long-stay residential sector for older people from the end of this month. Despite the Government categorically stating there would be no cliff edge for Covid supports for any sector, we now find that the State is planning to withdraw this support completely. There is a fear from residents and their families that nursing home care is being de-prioritised at a time when there should be a thorough review of all supports and standards within the whole sector before there is any change to the current scheme.

I put it to the Taoiseach that older people in long-term care have been at the front line when it comes to the threat of Covid infection. The reality is that they remain on that front line until all of us are vaccinated. There remains a threat of a new variant taking hold that circumvents the immunity provided through the current vaccination programme. I urge the Taoiseach to ensure, at the very minimum, that the current level of Covid protections remain in place until the reviews sought by HIQA and the Coroners Society of Ireland are completed.

I thank Deputy Naughten for raising the issue. As society begins to reopen we will be able to reduce our reliance on many different supports that the Government has provided throughout the pandemic. The Covid-19 temporary assistance payment scheme was established as part of a comprehensive package of support measures for nursing homes at the start of the pandemic. It was originally introduced for three months, to conclude in June 2020, but obviously the continuation of the pandemic meant that there were two further extensions. It was and is a successful scheme and it has been very impactful. It provided additional funding to those nursing homes that required it, to contribute to the costs associated with dealing with Covid-19. These included the costs incurred in preparing for and mitigating against Covid-19 and in the management of outbreaks when they occur, contributions towards the costs of maintaining isolation rooms, and a once-off contribution towards temporary visiting infrastructure during winter 2020.

The cessation of TAPS has been communicated with all stakeholders. As of 11 June about 7,148 claims had been submitted and €134.5 million has been allocated or made available under the scheme. It has always been just one component of a suite of supports. Other supports included providing access to personal protective equipment and oxygen, the establishment of Covid response teams, support for staff accommodation, access to training and the serial testing programme. Many of these and other supports will continue for the time being as required. Furthermore, an outbreak assistance payment will continue to be made available until the end of the year as a support for any nursing home that experiences a Covid-19 outbreak.

In addition, it has to be taken on board that the vaccination programme has had a very significant impact on nursing homes. There has been a huge uptake, close to 100%, by residents and staff. The effect is very strong with significant reductions in cases, outbreaks and mortality. This is a factor. We also need to move on from the current temporary schemes to working through the more medium-term reforms that have to happen within the nursing home sector and perhaps the changes that will cost not just the nursing homes but also the State, in light of the Covid-19 nursing homes expert panel report. The panel identified 86 recommendations in the report and the Government is fully committed to its implementation. Costs will arise across the system relating to the necessary systemic reforms. It is best to do that through a more informed and developed scheme as opposed to doing it through a temporary scheme.

We will keep the situation under review. We are fully open to evaluating what happened in nursing homes, outside of the pandemic and right through it, and learning lessons from it.

I thank the Taoiseach. Fifteen months ago, our nursing homes and hospitals received their first Covid-19 patients. Since then, front-line healthcare workers have managed three waves of the virus and a cyberattack. These people are now mentally and physically exhausted. We must provide staff with time off because exhausted healthcare staff are a recipe for mistakes. We must give proper recognition to staff on the front line in the battle against Covid-19. For example, the Scottish Government is paying every NHS worker a bonus of £500. Over the past year, I have consistently raised with the Taoiseach and other members of the Government the issue of recognising front-line workers. They have been selfless and the country owes them a great debt of gratitude. The Government must now recognise their efforts.

That is a separate question, which is more general to the health service. I have consistently said the Government wishes to recognise not only front-line healthcare workers but front-line workers, and is continuing to examine the optimal way of doing this. However, we are not out of the pandemic yet and all our attention and focus are on making sure we continue with progress on the vaccination programme and the very positive impact the vaccination programme is having on the prevalence of the disease and monitoring variants, such as the Delta variant, to make sure they do not undermine our efforts to keep the virus under pressure. We will keep in touch with the Deputy on the issue.