There is the specific and the general, and on the specific I do not think most of us would have an issue. It is the consequences or the unintended consequences that could follow on from doing this that is the net point about which there is concern. Until we are satisfied with that, it will be problematic and for that reason we think this motion should be deferred.

I cannot let the Minister's response stand because it is a misinterpretation of what I said. The point I was making was that we have no issue with the specific case of the removal of the Guerin report. The unintended consequences could be that it would lead to a call for other reports being, or a request-----

This is about doing things right from a legal perspective so that there are no unintended consequences. That is the point I was making and it was also the point that others were making.

I will cover a number of points and leave some time at the end for a response. Public transport has largely continued to function from the time of the lockdown and has largely been empty, though not exclusively. It is not easy to judge what it will be like once we start opening things up. This roadmap and its five phases will hopefully commence next week and there are very good signs that this will be the case. Essentially, it presents problems. Just as one can have general guidance, there are areas where a bespoke…

Perhaps the Minister could send me a note.

Would the Minister respond to the question about public transport? I asked about the public communication strategy and the requirements and plans involved.

Has there been engagement with the stakeholders?

I wish to ask a series of questions on one topic and would like those to be responded to. I will leave some time. I would be happy to take replies to two other subsequent questions in writing. The Travelodge hotel in Swords is one of a number in that hotel chain that houses asylum seekers as well as other guests, including airline staff. On 7 March, a guest returned from Bergamo in Italy, which at the time was the European epicentre of the pandemic. That person was hospitalised and diagnosed with Covid-19. The rema…

I have no doubt that a significant amount of effort has been put into resolving the issue. The key issue is that the Minister just told me the Department of Justice and Equality did not know that somebody in the hotel had tested positive, but the HSE must have known that. Did it not tell the Department? Is that what happened?

This is the second time in just over a decade that we face an economic crisis. This one is obviously very different because life and health are centre stage and the economic fallout is as a consequence of Covid-19. While I welcome the belated response to limit the spread, the investment in the development of medicines, and the research which is under way, and they are important, there is a lesson to be learned in particular from the late response in Italy and how that played out. The response to the previous econom…

There is a very credible proposal coming from Spain on perpetual bonds, which would not mean an additional debt burden and which could be afforded with regard to the interest rate that would be payable Europe-wide. It would be very similar to the Marshall aid plan post the Second World War. This is a disaster and is not unique to any individual member state. Real solidarity requires that kind of approach, where a debt burden will not end up being imposed on states that cannot sustain it. Is that on the table? It is…

This is the first debate on tourism in the Thirty-third Dáil. Previously, it would have been difficult to imagine that we would be having this type of debate. I accept that a crystal ball is required to some degree in terms of what is likely to be the timeline for dealing with this virus in a way whereby we will not be talking about it because it is in the past. We must ensure that businesses get back to operating, but do so safely. A message comes out of that as well because it reflects on the country in terms of …

I welcome this debate. I am of the view that we should just be following the normal format for oral questions because not having the responses to other questions is problematic. In the first instance, health must be the reference point. The return to a safe working environment whereby there will not be an resurgence of the virus is what we all aspire to. Over a number of weeks, the Social Democrats have sought the establishment of an expert task force. What we do from here needs to be done sector by sector and a se…

I accept that but I would like the Minister to address some of the questions I asked on hairdressing, for example, and other areas like that.

Essentially, I am asking the Minister a very specific question. Is it going to be scaled up? There will be non-compliant industries and we need to know if there will be a means of enforcement.

What about the movement of construction workers across boundaries?

I want to take the opportunity to express our sympathies to the families of all those who have died during the pandemic, some of whom could not be with their loved ones at this critical and sad time. This makes it so much more difficult. The number of deaths in recent days is a stark reminder that the virus is still in a very active phase. We are being informed that the numbers can be accounted for by delayed notification of deaths but there are grounds for doubting that this is the only reason. While there are pos…

I too would like to express my sympathies and the sympathies of the Social Democrats to those who have died during this Covid-19 pandemic in our health system. There is one particular time when people want to be around somebody close to them and that is when the person is dying. I know from my own experience of having been with my both parents when they died that there is something very comforting about that in the future. It is regrettable that owing to the restrictions around funerals people will have terrible re…

I want to put on record the appreciation of the Social Democrats for all the work and dedication of those in the front line - those in healthcare, those ensuring the supply chain of food, medicines and other essential goods, those who are keeping us safe in our communities and those who are reliably informing us about what we need to know. I also want to thank the public, who are leading from the bottom up in demonstrating their ability to distance themselves socially, to self-school, to wash their hands and do wha…

No, I am not happy that some of the amendments have been ruled out of order.