Through the Chair, a Cheann Comhairle, the Deputy has raised an important issue in respect of the need for a global vaccination programme that is effective and efficient. I do not think the solution offered by the Deputy is the correct one. I think it is simplistic and in itself, it would not generate the additional supplies of vaccines. I also think that the Deputy should acknowledge that of all the blocs across the world, the EU has been the most open, effective and efficient in terms of vaccine production and in…

We have taken a position. We have taken a sensible position to get vaccines produced in greater volumes. Waiving intellectual property rights tomorrow morning will not do that. It will not do it. Does the Deputy know anything about pharmaceutical production? This country does know a thing or two about it. It is about sharing technology, capacity and know-how-----

------to get these vaccines produced. We are doing it. The EU is doing it. It has pledged €1 billion to increase manufacturing and production in Africa. It is co-operating with the WTO and the TRIPS initiative to get a sensible outcome around the expansion of production and facilitating equitable access. There were discussions around here at the beginning of the year about the lack of enhanced production within Europe itself. Europe set about getting its house in order and increased production significantly. We are…

I acknowledge the Deputy's positive comments in respect of the Committee Stage amendments to the climate Bill in the Seanad last week. It illustrates the Minister's openness and accommodation in taking on the views and ideas of others in the legislative process. He has a high regard for agriculture and rural Ireland. He has made that clear on an ongoing and consistent basis. The amendments the Deputy referenced strengthen the Bill and provide greater clarity on the use of sinks of greenhouse gases and carbon and th…

Maybe the Deputy is watching the European Championship because he has shown such agility of foot across the pitch here in the past two minutes. It is highly impressive. He has covered everything from slurry spreading and forestry to carbon sinks-----

I acknowledge it. I reassure the Deputy that the Government is for rural Ireland. We have invested unprecedented amounts in rural Ireland through a range of capital funding measures. The Deputy must surely acknowledge that. We have developed new initiatives in respect of forestry. The Government has, through both legislation and resources for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine-----

-----and we will deliver an increase in afforestation, certainly over the lifetime of the Government. We will do everything we possibly can to do that. We will continue to support all aspects of rural Ireland into the future.

First, there is a very comprehensive and busy agenda over the next number of days to be deliberated upon and to get through. The Government wants to progress legislation and bring it to a conclusion before the summer recess. We are very clear about that. We have been pushing for this and very adequate time has been provided over recent weeks for a range of legislative items in respect of housing, in particular, be it the Affordable Housing Bill or the Land Development Agency Bill, and that remains the Government po…

The Opposition Members are saying two to three weeks ago and now it has gone to a month.

My understanding is that there was a debate in the House on the Common Agricultural Policy and there was a reasonable expectation that such a debate would not be sought again given the fact there was a comprehensive debate already on it.

On the vaccine issue, which a number of Deputies have raised and which Deputy McGrath referred to as "medical apartheid", which is an appalling phrase to use - Deputies Tóibín and Connolly raised this issue also-----

-----the fundamental objective of all public health advice we receive is to protect lives and livelihoods. Do not forget that - through the Chair. It is up to Government to operationalise that and we are in discussions at the moment with the hospitality sector with a view to having a plan ready by the 19th of this month. There is a big challenge facing us in respect of the Delta variant, not just in Ireland but across Europe and indeed across the world. One only has to look at what is happening in South Africa in r…

It is very regrettable that, since the Government was formed, debate has become very partisan and divisive.

The public health advice should be accepted in good faith. One can disagree or agree but you should not be casting aspersions and using language such as "medical apartheid" and so forth-----

-----when the only objective from the public health perspective is to protect people who are not vaccinated. Why would we want unvaccinated people to get the virus? Why would we want to throw caution to the wind? Is that okay? Is that what we are actually saying, if you look at the counterargument?

That is Government policy. The Government has made it clear, particularly given the extraordinary success of the vaccination programme in the hospital setting and the very low rates of transmission within hospitals, that partners should be facilitated with absolute access in maternity wards and for scans and so on.

It is extremely important that the guidelines that have issued from the HSE and from the national clinical director would be applied in all maternity hospitals. That is the clear position that has been articulated from the top of the HSE and the clinicians on the ground should implement that.

My understanding is that the NDP will not be finished before the recess. Some further work must be deliberated on. It is very close to finalisation. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is in discussions with line Ministers across different Departments, which the Deputy will be aware of given his previous experience. In particular, he is in discussions with the Minister for Transport on the full range of transport initiatives from public transport to roads. He is also in discussions with the Minister for …

I hope that the Deputy is not suggesting that I do not believe women.

I did not say that at all. The Deputy should not make innuendo and wrongly imply what I said. What I have said, repeatedly, is that the national clinical director, the CEO of the HSE, the Minister for Health and the Government have said that there should be no restrictions. I acknowledge, because I am getting feedback from Deputies that they are getting feedback from constituents and people who have had experiences that are contrary to the policy, that there is an issue of clinical autonomy-----