There's no national clinical oversight of nursing home care according to the government's health watchdog.
HIQA has said the HSE does not understand the private residential sector amid strong criticism of the response to COVID 19 in those settings.
Nursing Homes Ireland has said it was left isolated by the government in the early days of the crisis.
An Oireachtas Committee has also heard some nursing homes had to use painters overalls and goggles and equipment from vets as PPE.
CEO of HIQA Phelim Quinn said there's also a governance issue here:
