Image source, NI Assembly

David Hilditch of the DUP asks the minister what guidance the department has given companies that assist the road section of the department in terms of the roads maintenance programme.

Ms Mallon says that officials have been "in close contact with those who have contracts for this work".

She says there is a "responsibility for our own staff," adding "where work is not deemed to be essential it should not take place," and where it is social distancing and appropriate PPE are to be adhered to.

"Above everything else, the safety of workers and members of the public is paramount," she says.

"There is nothing that comes before it".

Alliance's Andrew Muir declares an interest ahead of his questions about Translink and says he was a former employee of the public transport company.

He says that prior to the Covid crisis it was estimated Translink would need £100m to continue operating, and asks the minister since "fares revenue has plummeted", what plans she has for the long and medium term to "safeguard" the company.

Ms Mallon agrees that the firm had to previously "dip into its reserves over a number of years".

She says it has seen a "dramatic reduction in passengers" in the region of "90-95% across bus and rail".

Image source, NI Assembly

The minister says the finance minister has assured her "money will be forthcoming for the difficult situation Translink finds itself in".

She says there is however a "fundamental question" to be asked - "Do we believe in having a publicly-owned public transport network?"

She says there has to be a "recognition of the fact our public transport network is essential in transporting our key workers" and that it will be "essential in our economic recovery".

The SDLP's Mark Durkan says taxi drivers feel there has been "an unfairness" and asks for clarification on support for drivers.

The minister says she is responsible for regulation the but the issue of financial assistance lies with other ministers and she has engaged with them.

She adds that she believes there are "huge opportunities" for using taxis to deliver food, etc.

Image source, NI Assembly

The UUP's Roy Beggs notes that many MOT certificates were given an extension at the the start of the year due to technical problems at the testing centres.

Those extensions are coming to an end and Mr Beggs wants assurances that the certificates will receive a further extension.

Ms Mallon says she can give the assurance that if a further extension is required then exemption certificates will be issued to motorists.

She says it's important that the motorist must book an appointment to receive the exemption.

Image source, NI Assembly

Sinn Féin's Cathal Boylan asks the minister about the taxi industry, particularly about training, medical tests for drivers and the "need for a cash injection" to the industry.

Ms Mallon says "we had to bring in new legislation to extend the PSV".

"It did take longer than we would like but it was a more complex issue," she says.

In terms of medical assessments she says "that is providing a problem as medical officers are, rightly, focusing on fight against Covid-19" but she adds work is being done to "find a solution" to this matter.

Image source, NI Assembly

In relation to training, the minister says there are "35 hours of training required over a five-year period".

She says a number of trainers have now brought their courses online.

She adds that an announcement was made with the DVA that "it is content that no enforcement action will be taken against drivers whose CPC has expired between 1 March 2020 and 30 September 2020".

She adds that will "be reviewed again in due course".

The DUP's Michelle McIlveen chairs the assembly's Infrastructure Committee.

She asks the minister about increasing the maximum weights for haulage vehicles and providing the urgent financial support required by hauliers.

Ms McIlveen also asks a question about the extension of planning permissions.

Image source, NI Assembly

Ms Mallon says there have been a number of relaxations around matters such as drivers' hours.

She says the department is "working with the sector" on the question of weights.

She says she has made representations to the UK government regarding a financial package for ferry operators and hauliers.

Nichola Mallon then outlines moves in the department to "protect staff and enable my department to focus its resources on responding to Covid-19".

She says a number of non-essential operations have been stopped or "significantly reduced".

She also says she has suspended parking charges, but says a "small team" of wardens have been "retained to respond to illegal parking that is unsafe or blocking access to or for emergency or essential services".

Image source, NI Assembly

In relation to driving and vehicle testing, she says it has all by suspended except for emergency vehicles.

She says the reduction or stopping of some services has helped to "refocus our efforts to help health trusts".

Ms Mallon says she has provided "access to the Crumlin Road Gaol" and "access to free parking" at the site for health care workers.

"Last Friday, I also opened access to the site at the gaol for the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust to facilitate decontamination of ambulances and disposal of contaminated PPE material," she adds.

The minister then references the ferry to Rathlin island.

She says her department has worked to ensure "essential goods services and support continues to be provided to the island".

She adds that she has been "heartened to see how community transport operators" have come together to deliver "pre-paid groceries, food parcels or fulfilling essential journeys" at this time.

She says the outbreak of Covid-19 has caused "significant challenges and changes to a wide range of industries" including taxi drivers.

Ms Mallon then outlines the decision around the "automatic renewal of taxi vehicle licences".

Image source, NI Assembly

She says it's important to "continue to work with ministers to ensure we do all we can to assist taxi drivers who are a key part of our transport network".

The minister says the "need to avoid non-essential travel, in line with government advice, has made it necessary for me and other ministers to prioritise services".

She adds, "where staff do have to come into the work place or on to a site to perform an essential role" there are measures to ensure "adequate social distancing and appropriate PPE is used in line with relevant guidance".

The minister outlines some of the precautions taken by the public transport provider, Translink.

She says the system continues to operate "albeit in a reduced capacity".

Gloves and hand sanitisers are available for all front line staff.

"Protective screens have been fitted to all buses in use, Ms Mallon adds.

Image source, NI Assembly

She says she has introduced free pubic transport for healthcare workers for the duration of the Covid-19 crisis.

Nichola Mallon begins her opening remarks by saying "this is not an easy time for any of us".

She says it's "an unimaginable time for those who have loved ones to Covid-19".

"I begin today by sending my heartfelt condolences to every one of those families.

"We are with you, and you are in our prayers," she says.

Mrs Mallon says the "challenges associated with Covid-19 cannot be underestimated".

She says it's an "extraordinary time, but it will not last forever".

Image source, NI Assembly

Ms Mallon pays tribute to the work of those ensuring "clean drinking water" during the crisis.

She says NI Water has "worked tirelessly to ensure that continues" and has worked to change some practices to ensure "social distancing rules are adhered to".

She adds "keeping staff and customers safe has been a key focus of NI Water" and that they "deserve our respect and thanks".

She says "NI water is also doing what it can to support its customers".

"NI Water will not implement the increase in tariffs planned for April, but will hold off until October at the earliest.

"The company will also defer issuing bills until July at the earliest," she says.

She adds that this will mean a cash flow problem but that she is working on plans to cover the issue in her current budget.

Image source, NI Assembly

The meeting is opened by Principal Deputy Speaker Christopher Stalford of the DUP.

He runs through some committee business, and informs MLAs that minutes of the previous meeting will be available on the committee website.

He then welcomes Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon and her senior official Katrina Godfrey to the session.

This afternoon we've got live coverage of the Ad Hoc Committee on the COVID-19 Response from the assembly chamber at Stormont.

The committee is basically the assembly meeting in emergency format.

It allows members to meet at short notice to hear briefings from ministers and ask questions during the Covid-19 crisis.

Only 22 members are allowed in the chamber to ensure social distancing guidelines are observed.

Today they will be briefed by the ministers for education and infrastructure.

The meeting starts at 14:30. Do stay with us

Colm Gildernew thanks the witnesses and the members take some time to consider future work before concluding the meeting.

We're taking a short break but we'll be back at 14:30 for a meeting of the Ad-hoc Committee on the Covid-19 Response.

Members will hear statements from the Education and Infrastructure ministers.

Education Minister Peter Weir is expected to outline the alternative arrangements for this year's GCSE and A Level examinations.

Do join us for what promises to be an interesting session.

Image source, Getty Images

The SDLP's Colin McGrath says that currently many families are unable to be with their loved ones when they are dying.

He says there have been moves in England to change this and asks the witnesses if they can see a way to this being allowed, with the use of appropriate PPE.

Dr Hamish Courtney says its "a hugely important issue" and a matter of "basic humanity".

Guidelines have been prepared in England and Scotland and he urges the NI Department of Health to consider adopting such guidelines.

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Paula Bradshaw asks about coming out of the pandemic and the return to elective care.

Mark Taylor of the Royal College of Surgeons says it is a question that causes him "great anxiety".

He says the Covid situation is going to make the waiting lists even worse.

Sinn Féin's Pat Sheehan asks about prioritisation of patients who need surgery and how they hope to achieve that.

Mark Taylor responds that "now is the time to consider how we deal with non-Covid patients".

He says there is a "risk" for patients as well as "health care workers themselves being affected by an infected patient".

Mr Taylor says there is work ongoing by "telephone and virtual clinics".

Image source, Getty Images

Orlaithí Flynn of Sinn Féin then asks about mental health provision for healthcare workers.

Dr Hamish Courtney says there is a recognition that "the Covid crisis has put a huge strain on all aspects of hospital staff".

He adds that "innovative things are happening in trusts" and that in hospitals, teams are "debriefing, talking and looking out for each other".

But he adds, "resources are going to be needed as we exit this whole Covid emergency".

The DUP's Pam Cameron asks how many ACP's have been completed by GP practices and how many have included decisions on CPR or DNR (Do Not Resuscitate).

She also wants to know if GPs have received complaints.

Dr Dorman says he doesn't have the figures for care plans but it is something that needs to be done "particularly for our frailest, frailest patients".

"Unfortunately, at the moment I would anticipate that the majority of these patients will have a DNA CPR attached as part of that discussion," he adds.

"CPR is not a treatment, it is a process that happens when somebody's heart stops" Dr Dorman says, adding that "there are more sensitive things that need to be discussed first".

Image source, Getty Images

Alliance's Paula Bradshaw makes a brief intervention - she says she received an "upsetting email this morning from a constituent whose husband is in hospital".

She says the email said that the man had been told he wouldn't be taken to ICU if he "had a turn for the worse".

According to Mrs Bradshaw, the email explained that the man didn't understand what that meant and that when it "dawned on him, he started to cry".

Mrs Bradshaw, then clearly upset herself, says "it was so callous and cold and devoid of humanity".

She adds, "there may be good guidance and good intention" but she says "there are gaps".

Image source, NI Assembly

Dr Hamish Courtney replies that these conversations need to be had in an "extremely sensitive way" and that "it's not a decision that's forced on people".

He says it needs to be a "discussion between families, patients and healthcare staff, rather than people being told that’s what’s happening".

Mark Taylor then says: "I hear exactly what Paula is saying and actually, obviously, without going into individual cases - we are all sons, daughters, mums, dads and family members."

"Many of us in our roles as trainers spend endless hours talking about the art of communication.

"The art of communication is how you talk to someone who is failing in medical therapy," he says.

Committee chairperson Colm Gidernew (below) says there have been reports of conversations taking place that left families or patients feeling under pressure "to consider something they really do not want to consider".

Dr Dorman says the conversations must not be carried out "in a blanket way" and they mustn't marginalise any particular type of patient but must be carried out on an individual and compassionate basis.

Dr Hamish Courtney of the Royal College of Physicians says its about allowing people to have "peaceful and dignified deaths".

Image source, NI Assembly

He says that in the hospital setting the chance for a dignified death is greatly reduced even outside the Covid context.

Dr Courtney advises that the conversation should be raised at an earlier stage before the emergency situation.

The committee chairperson, Colm Gildernew, thanks the panel for their attendance and moves the meeting to a short break.

When the reconvene, Mr Gildernew welcomes a new set of panellists - who again join the meeting by audio link.

They are Dr Laurence Dorman, from the Royal College of General Practitioners NI, Mr Mark Taylor, from the Royal College of Surgeons and Dr Hamish Courtney, from the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

Image source, NI Assembly

In his opening remarks, Dr Dorman says, "as Covid-19 shows no boundaries, we join together as one health force to serve our patients".

He says they wish "to inform the committee on Anticipatory Care Planning or ACP".

He adds it "must be part of a national conversation" and that ACP "discussions must be sensitive".

He adds the RCGP's NI urges that "there should be no requirement for CPR to be a mandatory part of ACP" but only raised if the patient raises it.

He also says "ACP should not only be done by GPs but by healthcare professionals".

He also urges the Department of Health "to publicly encourage society and families to have the chat".

He says the trajectory of Covid-19 sees some patients "often suddenly experience reparatory difficulties" which are "not the ideal setting for important discussions to be had".

People Before Profit's Gerry Carroll asks about PPE provisions in care homes.

Rodney Morton says he "can confirm that the local trusts are working with their care home providers to ensure sufficient supply and utilisation of PPE".

He says it is an "improving position" and that there is "now a single point of contact for all care home staff".

Image source, NI Assembly

The UUP's Alan Chambers (above) asks about PPE monitoring.

Mr Morton says he understands those levels of stock are being monitored on a daily basis and that he understands there is "going to be an audit of the utilisation of PPE across our health and social care system".