Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 January 2021
572. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the budgetary analysis being carried out to plan for long Covid-19 impacts in his Department and each State agency under the remit of his Department in tabular form. [4481/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI take the Deputy's reference to "long Covid-19" to mean the medical condition whereby a person experiences long-term symptoms of Covid-19.
My Department has continued to deliver on its full range of responsibilities throughout 2020 and into 2021, while working remotely for the most part. To date, any impacts of Covid or “Long Covid” have been met within the budgetary resources available to my Department. While the full effect of any impacts of Long Covid-19 on my Department’s staffing cohort has not yet emerged, the situation is being monitored and will be kept under review.
In respect of my Department's agencies, neither the Adoption Authority of Ireland nor Oberstown Children Detention Campus have identified specific impacts due to "long Covid-19" to date.
I have referred the question to Tusla and the Ombudsman for Children's Office for direct reply.
