I became aware of it this week, I believe. I have heard this mentioned during the day and I have heard people asking the Taoiseach to clarify the matter etc. I am open to correction from the authorities in the Oireachtas but my understanding is that the Oireachtas brought in a public health expert. I heard Deputy O'Reilly describe the person as an independent public health expert.

There was an assessment of this workplace and guidance was to be provided not just to Deputies, Senators and Ministers but everybody who works in this place to whom we owe a duty of care. That includes our staff and everybody else. It was the view in the advice, and I am only going along with that not as a Minister but as a Deputy in my workplace. It is the Oireachtas public health advice from an independent expert brought in by the service.

Yes.

I truthfully do not know. I am sure we can find out.

I will indeed. To be clear, I am aware of the 15 minutes within 2 m in terms of close contact and I am aware of the two hours in terms of close contact. It is a question of how long one must leave an area before coming back.

I first became aware this week that one needs to have a 24-hour period. I am a Member of this House and I want it to be able to do its business. I am one of the few people who is here answering questions every single week along with the Taoiseach and a couple of others. I am sure there are ways we can get this right. I am a receiver of the advice-----

-----rather than a maker of it. I am sure the Ceann Comhairle and the House's authorities can clarify, but my understanding is that the Oireachtas made a decision to seek public health advice in terms of how it conducts its business. The Oireachtas is sharing that public health advice with Members.

One is not less of a Member upon becoming a Minister-----

-----in terms of one's own health. Regarding other workplaces, I heard the deputy chief medical officer speaking about this matter yesterday. It is about carrying out a risk-based assessment of any workplace and a variety of factors can obtain, for example, the safety of a location, how long to spend in a room and the like, but I am sure there can be more clarification. I hope that a way forward can be found. I believed the Covid committee was coming up with innovative ways of ensuring that it could do its business…

I doubt the whole country is waiting to hear what I will say on this, but I will be clear. On 27 March, workplace protection and improvement guidance was issued by the National Standards Authority of Ireland, NSAI, for all workplaces that were open. The NSAI is the body from which people and businesses around the country are taking their advice. Guidance has been issued for many different sectors. For example, guidance has been issued by the national outbreak control team in respect of meat factories and by HIQA in…

It is the answer to the question. The answer to the question of why did this become socialised this week is the Oireachtas asked somebody to come in and assess our workplace, and not just for the Deputy and me, but for our staff and the staff who work here-----

We will talk about that as well.

I am following the public health advice in this workplace and so, too, are Deputies for their staff. Everybody has to follow the public health advice in their workplace. There is a HSA in place that can go in and inspect workplaces. Between Monday and Tuesday of this week it carried out 190 inspections of workplaces. Every workplace has to operate in a safe way. We need to lead by example. I also think we need to find a way forward regarding this. The Oireachtas needs to be able to do its business. It cannot be bey…

The Deputy knows the answer.

I am not.

Deputy Kelly is blaming NPHET for everything. The Oireachtas asked someone to come in here and give advice. It had nothing to do with NPHET.

Deputy Kelly is obsessed with blaming people. He will be blaming NPHET for Covid-19 next.

Okay, I withdraw it. NPHET did not do this. There is guidance in place. The pharmacists and other people are putting different protections in place. Some people are putting up perspex, some people are wearing face masks, some businesses are not allowed to open and others are only open for takeaways.

Some people are coming to sealed rooms and they are working in different ways. I am very grateful to doctors for giving us advice on how to protect our health. I am very grateful for doctors around the country putting guidance in place for different sectors as to how people should protect their workplaces. It should be remembered that as of today, most workplaces cannot open such is the risk of this virus.

Just to say at the outset, the Deputy raised the question last week of the over-70s being able to participate in tennis, golf and so on. We were able to clarify that this is the case. I have not yet seen the letter from Beaumont Hospital to which the Deputy referred, but I will make sure I see it straight after this and I will respond to the Deputy and to the letter. It is important to say that one of the reasons we are reading today about the HIQA report on acute hospital infection prevention and control preparedn…