Senator Higgins has got it absolutely right. The reason the Minister's opinion is recognised is that the Minister has a role and a place in this, with the Department responsible for administering, delivering and managing this process. I look forward to Minister Higgins or Minister Warfield fulfilling that role that in the future. I will not be able to accept these amendments. Those words are not included in the Bill as an opt-out clause or a weakening of the language. It is the exact opposite. If we do not give the…

I will respond first on the issue concerning the Government. I keep coming back to section 5(3) because it is the core of the Bill in terms of having to be consistent with the ultimate objective specified in Article 2 of the United Nations framework and Article 2 of the Paris Agreement. The reference is "The Minister and the Government shall carry out their respective functions" in a manner that is consistent with the requirements. There is provision for the whole of the Government to be centrally involved. With re…

I was made aware by both the city council and NAMA of the history, as the Deputy outlined, of the development of the affordable element of housing on that site. To my mind, it was not the correct decision. I would have made a different one but the decision is made. The critical issue now is that we deliver the affordable housing and the social housing which will be delivered under Part V. I absolutely agree with the Deputy that in this area of the city in particular local communities face the real risk of being exc…

The Deputy is right to focus on the fact that transport and housing solutions go together and this is a really good example. We now have plans for this new bridge across the Dodder. It will not be a bridge for cars but for public transport and active mobility. It is critical not just for the development for the Irish Glass Bottle site but the wider area. It is due to go for planning permission as part of the BusConnects project, which I hope will go to An Bord Pleanála this autumn. Subject to that being agreed, it …

I am sure that I do not need to tell the House that the only reason an Taoiseach is not here is because he is addressing the UN Security Council. It was a prearranged appointment on the issue of cybersecurity, which is of absolute critical importance to our health system and the hundreds of thousands of health workers who have been through a crisis they have had to manage. This is why the Taoiseach is not here.

He is, and we as a Government will be fully accountable to this Dáil. Included in that, we will make sure there is full access to the National Public Health Emergency Team, NPHET, not just to the analysis but also to the individuals behind the analysis that was presented to us last night, so that Members can have an opportunity to ask the questions or test out what is a very worrying development and situation around this new Delta variant. Let us be very clear. Let us not pre-empt the approach that is going to be t…

I wish for such certainty. I wish for it in the first instance in terms of vaccine supply. We are following the advice from the national immunisation advisory committee, NIAC, and we have changed the rules to allow our young people get access to vaccines much more quickly.

It is not certain yet. We will have to test in the coming days in the context of how we seek to set out the solutions and involve the industry and the unions. Deputy Kelly says that this will not work when the plan itself is what we have to devise and develop. We have to do that in a way that recognises our young people have suffered most during this crisis and are in need of greater support. The most urgent issue is getting them vaccinated and giving them a social life and opportunities to get back to normal, get …

-----that we can ignore what NPHET says and that we are not worried about the modelling. If we did that, we would find ourselves in greater difficulties later in the summer.

That is one of the possibilities if we were to ignore the advice that has been given. This is not what we are going to do.

Throughout this crisis - I said this in opposition and I say it now as a member of the Government - we have done it correctly in the context of sharing information. The letter from NPHET, modelling information and access to public health officials to be able to answer whatever questions on modelling or any other aspect of its advice are critical and will happen. That is needed. It is complex. Modelling is based on assumptions. It is not a certain science. As the Deputy said, the modelling possibilities range from t…

I believe we will be able to follow the less pessimistic and more optimistic modelling scenarios because I believe in the capabilities, strength, solidarity and good common sense of the Irish people to steer a safer course.

That will also see us open up our country - every aspect of life. I also believe in our public service. We all make mistakes, the political system, the public service system and others, but-----

-----we will not say that we should get rid of all our advisers and our health system. Our health system-----

-----has stood up and shown real capability, including our advisers, in this crisis. It is right that we in the political system question them-----

-----and we do not just accept the advice and immediately adopt whatever solution is suggested.

No, we did not.

What we decided was to hear the evidence. We listened to it, we realised it was serious-----

Rather than making an immediate decision late at night, we decided to take our time to talk to the various Departments involved, the industry and-----

-----the unions and come up with an approach that gives us health protection while keeping us on a path towards reopening that will not close again. Not going backwards is the key and what the Irish people want.