I am responding to the first round of interventions. The challenge I would then face is that businesses that are allowed to reopen and have done so would then ask why they cannot access funding under the Covid restrictions support scheme if businesses that can open but remain closed can. Pubs would take this view and restaurants and hotels would quickly follow. It goes back to the point I made, which is that any time criteria are set for access to a scheme that has already paid out tens of millions to employers, th…

Their interests are poorly served by Deputy Mattie McGrath and the kind of argument he puts forward. He talks about tone. Each time Deputy McGrath makes an argument like that, the only people to whom he does a disservice are the good people who are trying to earn a living. They have not had their lives changed by a capricious Government, as Deputy McGrath sneeringly infers. It was because of an awful disease that arrived in this country, and any decisions made by this Government are about how we try to keep people …

I am afraid that I am going to disappoint Deputy Healy-Rae and tell him that I agree with all of my colleagues in the decision that has been made. I absolutely understand how difficult it is for those pubs that are not in a position to be open. I absolutely understand how hard vintners and publicans work in running businesses, and the hugely important role they play in societies and in the lives of the people as represented by Deputy Healy-Rae just now. The evidence that was presented to the Government did show tha…

I move amendment No. 12: In page 13, line 13, to delete “(20)” and substitute “(21)”.

I move amendment No. 13: In page 13, line 41, to delete “(v)” and substitute “(vi)”.

I move amendment No. 14: In page 14, line 3, to delete “(v)” and substitute “(vi)”.

I move amendment No. 15: In page 15, to delete lines 20 and 21, and substitute the following: “(vi) make an order either that subsection (8) of section 485 shall cease to be in operation on and from such day, or that the election referred to in paragraph (b) of that subsection, which that subsection enables a qualifying person to make, shall not be exercisable save in such circumstances, as the Minister for Finance— (I) considers necessary to— (A) fulfil, better, the objectives specified in subsection (1)(a), or (B…

I move amendment No. 16: In page 15, line 22, to delete “(iv) or (v)” and substitute “(iv), (v) or (vi)”.

I move amendment No. 17: In page 17, line 18, to delete “(3)” and substitute “(4)”.

I move amendment No. 18: In page 17, line 26, to delete “Where,” and substitute “Subject to subsection (8), where,”.

I move amendment No. 19: In page 18, line 40, to delete “(ii)(II),” and substitute “(ii)(II);”.

I move amendment No. 20: In page 18, between lines 40 and 41, to insert the following: “(f) subsection (8) and the election referred to in paragraph (b) of it which a qualifying person is, by virtue of that subsection, enabled to make,”.

I move amendment No. 21: In page 20, line 4, to delete “(21)” and substitute “(22)”.

I move amendment No. 24: In page 20, line 25, to delete “(13)” and substitute “(14)”.

I move amendment No. 25: In page 20, line 30, to delete “(13)” and substitute “(14)”.

I move amendment No. 26: In page 21, line 14, to delete “(9) and (10)” and substitute “(10) and (11)”.

I move amendment No. 27: In page 21, between lines 38 and 39, to insert the following: “(8) (a) Where, in relation to a relevant business activity carried on by a person— (i) applicable business restrictions provisions were in operation such that a qualifying person made a claim under this section in respect of a claim period and that claim, taken together with any claims made by the person immediately preceding that claim, is in respect of a continuous period of not less than three weeks, and (ii) those applicable…

I move amendment No. 28: In page 21, to delete lines 39 to 41 and substitute the following: “(9) A claim made under this section in respect of an advance credit for trading expenses shall be made— (a) subject to paragraph (b), no later than— (i) eight weeks from the date on which the claim period, to which the claim relates, commences, or (ii) if the date on which the qualifying person is registered as a person to whom this section applies (following an application which is made in accordance with subsection (5)(a)…

I move amendment No. 29: In page 21, line 42, to delete “(9)” and substitute “(10)”.

I move amendment No. 30: In page 22, line 9, to delete “(10)” and substitute “(11)”.