We will take our five minutes if we may.

I thought I had five minutes and then Deputy Browne had five minutes. I apologise.

I will be sharing time with Deputy Butler. I have four questions, which I will give the Minister and we will see what we can get done in five minutes. First, I would like to hear the Minister's thoughts on the fatality rate. We are all agreed that extraordinary efforts are being made by the State, the HSE, and every individual and family around the country. Unfortunately, the fatality rate for Covid-19 in Ireland is about 90 people per million. We rank tenth compared to other countries in the OECD. While the data a…

Many HSE hospitals are below par. Can anything be done to start reactivating the health system?

I apologise for cutting across the Minister-----

-----but I am happy to cede the rest of my time because Deputy Butler wants to get in and follow up privately with the Minister afterwards. I do not want all of her time taken.

I understand.

I am sharing time with Deputy MacSharry. I begin by expressing my deepest sympathies with the families and friends of those who have passed away already because of Covid-19. Losing the people we love is always difficult but losing them in these circumstances, where there are restrictions on hospital visits, on funerals and on the ability of people to come together to help each other through that loss makes it an awful lot harder. I join the Minister in expressing my deep gratitude to those who are on the front line…

My understanding was that the wrap-up would include answers to questions raised by the House. In the time left, will the Minister actually address any of the questions we have come here to ask?

Deputy Madigan has been here.

Is Deputy Madigan going to answer anything that has been raised?

Is Deputy Madigan going to address them?

I am not having a go at the Minister for Health. I am asking if a Government Minister is going to answer any of the questions raised by the Parliament.

Is Deputy Madigan going to answer any of them?

Deputy Madigan is not answering anything that has been raised.

I just wanted a clarification on that.

I wish to share time with Deputy James Browne.

I want to acknowledge the huge efforts that every individual and every family in every community are making. The daily growth rate is coming down and yesterday was 18%. However, at even 15% we will still be tracking the number of confirmed cases in Italy, so more will have to be done. Today's legislation will help but all of us - every family and every individual - will have to work together to bring this daily growth rate down, and do so very quickly. I want to acknowledge the extraordinary work and dedication of …

I move amendment No. 49: In page 20, between lines 31 and 32, to insert the following: “Amendment of Nurses and Midwives Act 2011 15. The Nurses and Midwives Act 2011 is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 107: “ 108. (1) A nurse or midwife resident in the State who has qualified or practised in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England or Wales may make an application to the Board to be registered in the register of nurses and midwives pursuant to this section. (2) Subject to subsections (3) …

The amendment is narrowly phrased. It states that for nurses or midwives living in the Republic who have trained and qualified in the UK alone there would be automatic recognition. Please God, we will be through this surge in a small number of months but the need is pressing. I will not press the amendment. I will not push it to a vote, because it is technical and I do not want to jeopardise the rest of the Bill with it, but what the Minister is being told and what he states here in good faith jars with the experie…