I note the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, is in the Chamber. I want to raise the temporary assistance payment scheme, TAPS, which was in place for the nursing homes. In light of the intensified infection prevention measures now required in nursing homes, especially during this month in the lead-up to Christmas and beyond where additional precautions and staff will be required, will the Minister consider the reintroduction of TAPS as a temporary measure to get the nursing homes over the particular threat over the festive season of December and January, which is a lonely time within the nursing home setting such that people would like to visit? I would welcome the Minister of State's thoughts.

I thank the Deputy for the question and his continued support of the nursing home sector. As he will know, the temporary assistance payment scheme was established in April 2020 as a temporary measure to support nursing homes during the pandemic. This scheme was extended twice. It was announced in September 2020 that the funding would cease.

Funding of €134.5 million has been made available to date to the nursing home sector. There are outbreaks in 52 nursing homes, out of an approximately 575 nursing homes. The outbreak assistance payment is and will continue to be made available up to the end of the year to the nursing homes currently experiencing an outbreak, of which, as I mentioned, there are 52. The Deputy will be aware that there is another suite of measures available to nursing homes, including 23 Covid response teams on the ground, personal protective equipment, support for staff accommodation and access to infection prevention and control training, all of which are free of charge. We also have the serial testing programme.