I will leave the Minister plenty of time to answer that question. The Minister said earlier in the debate that there has been a collaborative approach but he also said there has been a consensus in the House on the issue of the leaving certificate. That is not correct. There is no consensus in this House on the issue of the leaving certificate. Solidarity, along with People Before Profit, does not agree with the Government's position on the leaving certificate. We think the leaving certificate should be cancelled. …

I understand. The greatest way to disrespect any person is to force him or her to do something he or she really does not want to do. That is what the Minister is doing to the majority of the students facing the leaving certificate examinations in the period ahead. Will the Minister cancel them?

The Dáil should meet next week. I do not accept the proposal of the Business Committee. It is not non-essential work for Deputies to come here and raise the concerns of their constituents, and to question and hold to account the Government - or should I say the caretaker Government. I will be voting against the proposal.

In private.

I wish to start by expressing sympathy for all those who are sick and offering deep condolences to all those who have lost loved ones in recent weeks. On the Order of Business, during a national emergency the accountability of Government is more important than in normal times. Allowing the voice and concerns of constituents to be heard is more important during a national emergency than in normal times. I am open to the idea of remote meetings but the Dáil should meet next week. I wish to raise the issue of the tens…

I did not intend to return to this subject but I have no real alternative, given the comments of the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Josepha Madigan. I made the point earlier that democracy is more important in the middle of a national emergency than it is in normal times. Deputy Boyd Barrett gave examples from the World Health Organization to back up that point. Is it the case that a couple of hours before the Minister told those of us who insisted on today's sitting that we should be asha…

The business we are here to transact requires openness and transparency. I am concerned that if a press conference was held this morning with material handed out by officials and where no questions were allowed from journalists-----

I conclude on the matter by saying the two issues go hand in hand. Whether it met remotely or there was a sitting in this Chamber, there had to be a session of the Dáil this week. We must see an end to this type of approach. This must be open and transparent. I will go on with my points about social protection. The drivers at Dublin Bus have been instructed to take a portion of their annual leave in the coming weeks. These drivers are front-line workers. Every day they drive people to essential workplaces, includin…

I express solidarity with all of our people who are made anxious or fearful by the virus, including the elderly and vulnerable. I express solidarity with our health workers and all those working on the front lines. The Irish people, in general, have risen very well to the challenge posed by Covid-19. We see this in many ways. We see it with our front-line workers in the health service, the tens of thousands of volunteers, the public support for measures such as the closure of schools and pubs and the embracing of s…

When I spoke earlier I made reference to the correspondence from the Irish Congress of Trade Union which gave examples of how €203 per week would represent a cut of two-thirds in household income for some workers' families and a 50% cut in income for other workers' families and so on and I contrasted it with the position that exists in a number of other EU countries where there is a far greater guarantee for working people and their families in this crisis than is being offered by the Government here. This is a key…

I made the point when I spoke earlier that the proposal represents the greatest curtailment of civil liberties seen in the history of the State. We have seen it with the power to force someone to remain in his or her home or area or to block people from leaving a village or town. The point was just raised about preventing parties in people's homes. We should not forget the power to prevent public gatherings. I made the point earlier that I am opposed to the package on this basis. We are discussing amendments so I w…

On a point of order, it is clear from what has been said that there is not a majority in this House in favour of the renewal provision being laid before the House on 9 May and that the majority believe that if it is to be renewed it should come before the Dáil for decision.

On the issue of intensive care unit beds, will the Minister bring the number of intensive care unit beds in this State up to at least the EU average within a short time? There were 5.2 intensive care unit beds per 100,000 of the population in this State at the end of last year. The European Union average is 11.5 per 100,000 people. That is less than half. The recommended level of occupancy is 75% but in reality, the level of occupancy is 88% and in some units, it is 96%. Dr. Rory Dwyer, clinical lead of the Irish N…

People voted for change on 8 February - real change on health, real change on housing, real change on the pension age and real change for climate justice. Voters rejected a rigged economy run for the 1% and with a total bias against the needs of workers, young people and our planet. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have ruled this country for nearly 100 years. They are the opponents of real change. They are the representatives of the wealthy vested interests that have rigged the economy and cast a blight on so many lives.…