I thank the Minister but none of that inspires confidence at all. We know that the decisions and measures we take today will have an effect in the future. The chair of the Climate Change Advisory Council, CCAC, clearly told the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action yesterday that there is a need to act quickly, to get this done correctly, to be ambitious and not just to wonder why we are reaching our targets, but to actually deliver on them and increase our ambition. We also heard these comments in the …

Will the Tánaiste advocate for a TRIPS waiver to ensure maximum roll-out of Covid-19 vaccines?

The Tánaiste said the Government and the EU are very strong supporters of vaccine equality and want to find a solution to ensure it happens. The truth, however, is that the EU and the Government are an active barrier to solutions. Dr. Mike Ryan of the WHO has said: "It's a tragedy and it's an abomination that today there are frontline workers going to work in Covid wards in many countries that still have not been vaccinated. That is a disgrace." Mary Robinson has stated: "The European Union represents the biggest r…

It was Mary Robinson's analysis.

It was Mary Robinson's analysis.

It is deeply insulting for those in low-income countries that the Tánaiste's response was patronising about the fact we are making donations and contributions. These countries are looking for the opportunity to provide for themselves and they are in a position to do it. We have prevented them previously, in the context of AIDS and other pandemics, and we are doing it again. It is simply disgraceful and completely out of step with the will, spirit and passion of the Irish people. The people would go for a TRIPS waiv…

It is an emergency.

The Government can act.

The Government can act.

The Government can act on behalf of people in low-income countries. What is it doing?

That was not what I was asking about. The Government is in a position to act.

There is Irish research on the issue and it says the Government needs to act now.

This is not a fair debate.

The Tánaiste is being completely disingenuous.

I move amendment No. 1: To insert the following after “resources off our coast;”: “— involve the fishing industry at the pre-planning stage of any proposed offshore energy installations and ensure that support measures are put in place where necessary to protect the livelihoods of fishermen and the sustainability of the industry;” I thank the Regional Group for bringing forward the motion. Sinn Féin's amendment complements the motion and recognises the need to involve fishing communities in the development of offsh…

On Saturday, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, said taxi drivers would not be included in the reopened PUP scheme. On Sunday, the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, said they potentially would be if they could show they had lost their job as a result of the latest restrictions, and there was reference to a Revenue or social welfare audit. Will the Taoiseach indicate whether taxi drivers will be included and, if so, how they will be assessed? Regarding the concept of losing one's job, we know …

What does "lose their job" mean?

They have been refused it.

Work for taxi drivers has dried up.

Mandatory hotel quarantine is an important tool in our defence against the virus, particularly when the number of cases is low or, as is the case now, when dangerous variants break out. Sinn Féin will support this legislation and has tabled a number of amendments, as my colleague Deputy Cullinane outlined. The emergence of the Omicron variant is a concern and we must take appropriate measures in response. My party will support the reintroduction of mandatory hotel quarantine in exceptional circumstances for a limit…