The HSE says many public hospitals aren’t capable of providing the safe distancing needed to protect against the spread of Covid-19.
The executive will tell an Oireachtas committee today they are not ‘fit for purpose’.
Leinster House’s special committee on Covid-19 will meet again this morning.
According to The Irish Times, the HSE will say even a ‘relatively modest spike’ in the spread of the virus would have a very significant impact on critical care beds and the wider hospital system.
It comes as one more person died from the virus and there are 77 new confirmed cases.
Locally it’s been confirmed that there are 689 Covid-19 figures in the North West. The figures are reporting 477 cases in Donegal 129 in Sligo and 83 cases Leitrim.
The special committee on Covid-19 will also discuss the current restrictions in place.
It’s been reported restrictions could be eased quicker than expected, but health officials are expected to warn against that today.
The committee will also discuss the use of private hospitals by the state.
The government won’t be renewing the current three-month contract, but the HSE will say it has had ‘very substantive benefits’.
But the Irish Hospital Consultants Association will say it isn’t working and should be ended without delay.
