I am really disappointed in the Tánaiste's response. COVAX has done so much but there has not been an assessment of whether it has met the need. Clearly, it has not because the figures speak for themselves. Just 8% of people in low-income countries will have received at least one dose by the end of 2021, compared with 76% for high-income countries. I have mentioned just some of the organisations that are crying out for a change of approach and for the TRIPS waiver to be considered as a matter of urgency. They are h…

Nobody was shouting.

I thank the Minister. He will have an opportunity to continue his statement in his closing remarks.

I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 27A and the name of the Member in each case: (1) Deputies Holly Cairns and Christopher O'Sullivan - to discuss flood defence measures for Bantry, County Cork, after recent severe flooding from Storm Barra; (2) Deputy Verona Murphy - to discuss when the flood defence scheme for Enniscorthy, County Wexford, will be signed off; (3) Deputy Maurice Quinlivan - to discuss the proposed pilot 24-7 multi-agency…

I too thank Deputy Naughten and his colleagues from the Regional Group for tabling the motion. I support its sentiment, without hesitation. I support the call that MARA be established and operational within 12 months, the upgrading of the ports, the overall message and acknowledgement we must reduce our dependency on fossil fuels and the acknowledgement the current circumstances are developer led. I could not but agree with all that. I am not nitpicking but I am not sure about the suggestion we should "exploit" our…

As the Taoiseach may be aware, I have repeatedly highlighted the Government's failure to carry out even the most basic human rights assessment of any of the draconian legislation enacted by this Dáil, including the most recent Bills on hotel mandatory quarantine and the consolidation of four separate pieces of legislation into one. While this might be understandable, in the initial months, following the declaration of a pandemic, back on 11 March 2020, when there was a lack of information, a sense of urgency and an…

-----on board. It ignores the fact we have ignored the poorer countries. We have a letter here from the nurses of more than 30 countries telling us it is unacceptable. It ignores the fact we have not been given any update on public health infrastructure on the ground in order that we can competently deal - am I over time?

I beg your pardon, a Cheann Comhairle.

What do I say? My apologies. I will stop.

I am on record as taking the Covid pandemic very seriously. This is about a human rights assessment of the serious draconian measures that were brought in on a temporary basis. The question is simple. Why has the Taoiseach not done it and when will he do it? When we have spin, we do not have confidence. I have lost all confidence in the Government's approach to this. When I see an emphasis being put on night clubs while day centres and respite centres are not open and children are being appealed to by the Taoiseach…

You did that and then you went on-----

I must now deal with a postponed division relating to Second Stage of the Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021. Last Friday, 3 December 2021, on the question, "That the Bill be now read a Second Time", a division was claimed and in accordance with Standing Order 80(2) that division must be taken now.

I hate to interrupt the Deputy, but I call on him to speak to the amendment. This is not Second Stage.

I am not addressing anyone in particular, but I ask Deputies to stick to the amendments. We are on amendment No. 1, which is very specific.

I hate to interrupt. We are past Second Stage. The Deputy makes valid points but we are on amendment No. 1.

As Deputy Shortall does not wish to speak on this amendment, I call the Minister on amendment No. 1.

The Minister should address amendment No. 1.

It is but it is amendment No. 1 that we are trying to deal with here. We want to get through the amendments.

The Minister should address the amendment for the moment.

Amendments Nos. 2, 20 and 24 are related and may be discussed together.