At a recent meeting of Leitrim County Council, a number of councillors proposed and passed a motion that the HSE immediately reopen day care centres for older people which were closed due to Covid-19. I fully agree with Councillor Enda Stenson's statement that it is time to put Covid-19 to bed and reopen day care centres for the elderly throughout County Leitrim. I am not going to name the closed centres but many day care centres for older people throughout the country as well as in my constituency have not reopened. This is unfair and unacceptable. Many older people are not getting out of their homes and are developing mental health problems and becoming depressed. As one older person said to me, day care for the elderly is at the bottom of the pile. That seems to be the case.

I ask the Taoiseach to do what he can to reinstate these vital services.

I thank the Deputy for her question. At this point, Covid-19 should not be used as a reason to keep day care facilities closed. A great deal of work was done to reopen these facilities and many supports were provided. There may be other local operational reasons for that but at this point, while this may not be the case in the future, Covid should not be a reason. I will engage with the HSE on exactly the points the Deputy has just raised and will ask it to look at the centres concerned.

I thank the Minister.