I asked a specific question about that centre in terms of the number of staff, annual funding and whether the director's position is filled.

Much more investment needs to be made. Many security experts will say we are chronically under-resourced and underfunded in relation to cybersecurity, in terms of our Defence Forces and the NCSC. The Minister said the centre became aware on 14 May of a major attack. Could the hackers have gained access to the system weeks before that date? Can he confirm if that was the case?

I ask the Minister for Health who provides cybersecurity to the HSE and the Department. Is it all in-house, does it come from elsewhere or is it a combination? How much is spent by the HSE on cybersecurity annually?

I appreciate both Ministers will be learning information all of the time. The objective has to be to restore all the systems and a large volume of work has been done. However, there are questions we have to put and the public will be concerned about this attack. I have to put questions about what information these hackers might have. Can the Minister say whether they have sensitive information on patients? Do they have information on staff, including PPS numbers? Have they access to other administrative data? Is it…

I appreciate the point the Minister made that criminal gangs may present themselves as having more information than they actually have. At this point, is it unknown precisely what information they have? Is the Minister saying the information they have on patients, staff and general administration is unknown? Is it unknown or is it possible they have such information?

I will ask the Minister about computers used by the HSE. The last time I saw Windows 7, I was in my 30s. I am 46 now and yet we are told many computers the HSE and the Department of Health use operate on Windows 7. Is that the case? Does the Minister have information as to how many computers operate on that system? It has been the case for many years and the Minister, when in opposition, raised some of these issues in respect of integral radiology equipment running on antiquated software. There are CT scanners and …

It has been reported there are tens of thousands. Surely the HSE knows exactly how many computers operate with Windows 7. Surely the Minister has been given that information before he came here today, given that it is in the public domain.

I wish to raise with the Tánaiste the North Quays development in Waterford city, which the Tánaiste is aware is an important project. It is an iconic project that will transform the centre of Waterford city for generations. As he knows, there was a partnership between Waterford City and County Council and Falcon Real Estate Development, which has hit a brick wall. My understanding is that the CEO of the council will be making an announcement today at the full plenary session of the council and it is not good news a…

It is disrespectful. They are in the gallery.

There is no consensus on housing. We are certainly not as one on this issue. How could we be when one considers the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael way? Ever since I became involved in politics, I have seen Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael bail this State out of its responsibilities in terms of building social and unaffordable housing. This Government and that which preceded it have left ordinary working people who work hard and want to own their own homes to the mercy of the market. The Minister has made sure that the private …

I am sharing time with a number of colleagues. Is the Government going to support the TRIPS Agreement waiver appeal that has been submitted by India and South Africa to the World Trade Organization? As the Minister knows, this would involve a temporary waiving of certain intellectual property rights. If it is implemented, it will bolster supply of Covid vaccines, which we all want to see, and send a huge message of solidarity to developing countries, especially those, like India, that are really struggling with Cov…

I appreciate the response the Minister has given but my time is very limited. The question I asked is whether we are going to support, at a European level, what the Biden Administration is now supporting, which is a waiver under the TRIPS Agreement. When the matter comes up with the World Trade Organization, the European bloc will obviously have its position. Is the Irish Government going to be a leader in this regard? Will it be a voice within the European Union to ensure this is something the Union will support?

I must say I am not comforted by that response. It was a heavily caveated response, which I was not expecting, but that is a matter for the Minister and the Government. It would be much better if we had a strong position on this but it is a matter for the Government. I will move to the vaccine roll-out and a question about registration. I am getting a lot of calls from people who are aged between 65 and 69, who have registered online and are yet to receive a call for vaccination. I presume they will get a call. Wha…

It is important. I have checked with some of my colleagues, including those in government, who have been receiving similar queries. We want to be able to give the people the assurance that they are registered and will get a call. It would be good if we had some sense of the timeframe involved. I also wish to put to the Minister the issue of pregnant women and permission for their partners to accompany them for scans. I have raised the matter with the Minister previously. In fact, I raised it many months ago with th…

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this Topical Issue matter and the Minister for taking it in person. Post Brexit, the harbour in Dunmore East has been removed as a port for British and Northern Ireland-registered fishing vessels to land their catches. Since then, seven ports have been redesignated, six on the west coast and one, Howth, on the east coast, but Dunmore East is not one of them. In response to my colleague Deputy Mac Lochlainn, the Minister previously stated that other areas were not designated…

I thank the Minister for his response and the clarification that he will keep all of this under review. This makes sense. It would also make sense to designate an additional port on the east coast. I listened very carefully to what the Minister said as to the reason Howth was picked over Dunmore East, but I do not believe it should be a case of one or the other; it could be both. I invite the Minister to visit the harbour at Dunmore East when restrictions are lifted. I have been in correspondence with him on a numb…

First, I join the Minister in commending all those in the HSE and NIAC on the work they are doing on the vaccine roll-out. I also commend those in our wider health services, both in public health departments and in our hospitals, on all the work that has been done over the past year in difficult and trying circumstances. As we come out of Covid-19, there are an awful lot of lessons to be learned on how we approach our public services, and most especially, putting a more positive emphasis on public health. That less…

We have been calling for this now for some time. In my view, we need weekly reporting on the estimated delivery of vaccines. We accept all the caveats that can be put on it. The Minister is correct that the HSE confirmed to us that there were a number of interruptions on the supply side. We accept that those interruptions are not the responsibility of the HSE or, indeed, the Government. It is important we get weekly figures for the actual deliveries that came in but also weekly supply projection targets. My underst…

Some journalists have been getting emails from the Department of Health stating that it is going to move to fortnightly or biweekly reporting. I ask that the Minister takes that up with the HSE and makes sure reporting is on a weekly basis. The projection of all those targets for each week also needs to be set out. The issue of pregnant women was raised with Professor Karina Butler and with the HSE at the meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health. While the HSE said the vaccine is being rolled out accordi…

I thank the Minister for that response. I believe it is an urgent issue. One of the lessons we have surely all learned over the past year is that we must, at all times, stay ahead of the virus and new variants. Pushback from some within government, mainly within the Fine Gael Party regarding mandatory quarantine, is not helpful. When NPHET talks about that horizon, the finishing line and the ability to substantially reopen society, which all of us want, it is contingent on strong leadership and getting all the meas…