The Government is "sleepwalking" the country "into a lockdown at Christmas", Solidarity/People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy has claimed in the Dáil.
He was speaking in the Dáil after the Cabinet met to discuss a series of restrictions aimed at reducing the spread of Covid-19
He contended the country is in a crisis and hospitals are in danger "of being overrun" because of the Government's decisions over the course of the pandemic.
The Dublin South West TD said our ICU capacity was half the OECD average and, at the current rate, would take another 13 years to achieve the average.
Mr Murphy also argued that the abandonment of tracing and testing in schools had been disastrous - especially when the Government "refuse to bring in anything other than guidance for ventilation."
He said what the Government needed to do was to expand PCR testing, address the crucial issue of ventilation in every workplace and school, restore contact tracing and roll-out the booster programme.
In response, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the public health advice was that "our schools are safe places" and he said that 35,000 carbon dioxide monitors had been distributed.
.@paulmurphy_TD has claimed the Govt is "sleep-walking" the country "into a lockdown at Christmas" and that PCR testing needs to be expanded. The Taoiseach said the situation was "serious", but Ireland was conducting 200,000 PCR tests a week | https://t.co/UlIYKhvibc pic.twitter.com/2p99K0BtCs
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) November 16, 2021
He said the situation "is serious", but Mr Murphy had not recognised that Ireland was conducting 200,000 PCR tests week, which was one of the best records in Europe.
On antigen testing, he said that the Government was expanding their use but public health advice was "still cautious" on the issue and "strong communications are required."
Read more: Latest coronavirus stories
Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy accused Government of not doing enough to prevent the current surge of Covid-19.
Speaking during Leaders' Questions, Ms Murphy said the Government had consistently downplayed the State's responsibility to manage the response to the virus.
People in their 70s are asking when they are likely to even get a date for a #Covid19 booster, @CathMurphyTD asks, adding that people in the 60-69 group who got AstraZeneca are concerned about the wait@MichealMartin says the rollout for boosters is not as straight forward pic.twitter.com/zViWtYdZte
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) November 16, 2021
However, the Taoiseach rejected the criticism, telling TDs that Ireland's vaccination programme had been one of the best in the world. He said that 90% of those aged over 12 have now been vaccinated.
Ms Murphy said that whilst the initial vaccination roll-out may have been a success, the current booster roll-out is too slow.
She also accused Government of being too slow to implement antigen testing and for failing to make ventilation a priority.
The Kildare North TD also asked what Government would do for people who might find themselves out of work over the coming weeks.
'Your plan falls far short of what's needed to meet the challenge faced by our hospitals, even in a normal year' @MaryLouMcDonald says.@MichealMartinTD says the Government has made the largest increase in hospital beds in decadeshttps://t.co/XDOIhZhlx1 pic.twitter.com/4dZ9CroEvu
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) November 16, 2021
Govt lacks urgency to reform health service - SF
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald accused the Government of lacking urgency and planning to reform the health service.
She told the Dáil the Winter Plan does not go far enough and it does nothing to improve the health service.
"Even if we hadn't hit a pandemic, this plan falls far short of what's needed," she said.
The Sinn Féin leader said staff are being left in a "stress cauldron" conditions.
Responding, the Taoiseach said extra funding has already produced 800 hospital beds this year along with record recruitment to the health service.
He said that he was determined within health care to get far more capital projects completed far more quickly.
Additional reporting: Mícheál Lehane, Tommy Meskill
