Countries all over Europe are using antigen tests for exactly this kind of purpose. I have supported them for a long time. The Deputy has said more times than I can count or remember that the Government needs to embrace antigen tests. When we use antigen tests, the first thing the Deputy says is that we should not be using them. That is just extraordinary.

I will speak to the amendment. I fully appreciate its intent. I cannot accept it because of technical concerns, such as the lack of definition in respect of certain matters, but I believe that what the Deputy is seeking to do is entirely appropriate and reasonable. I would like to commit to two things, to go further. First, I have a report on the operation of mandatory hotel quarantine to date. It does not go as far as Deputy Connolly desires in terms of human rights analysis, which is a matter we need to take seri…

I am delighted to be here to address the House on what was an important issue when the invitation went out and has become decidedly more so since the arrival of this new variant. I very much welcome the opportunity to update the House on the epidemiological situation and the national response. The current level of Covid-19, as colleagues will be aware, is having a profoundly negative effect on public health as well as placing an enormous burden on all aspects of our health service. The number of confirmed cases of …

I thank colleagues for their contributions and time. I always find debates in the Seanad really valuable, useful, thought-provoking, challenging and important, so I thank Senators as always for their time. I will try to address the various issues raised as best I can and I apologise if I miss some of them. Senators asked about progress on the Delta wave. We are dealing with two different but related matters, namely, a Delta wave, which we have a plan in place to deal with, and the new variant, for which various act…

I may have to come back to the Senator on that point. I had some notes on that matter. The short answer is that, as the Senator will be aware, I am on the public record as being in favour of such a waiver, as I have told him before. However, I am cognisant of the EU position. One of the concerns at an EU level is that there may potentially be unintended consequences if some of the incentive for these companies to move very quickly is removed. We can agree or disagree with that. This is a position that has been put …

I am more than happy to do that. I am aware of the case. It is being looked at. It is absolutely soul-destroying for the patient, the patient's family and the family of the donor for that to happen. The anguish such a situation can cause is indescribable. It should never happen. We are making a lot of positive policy changes in respect of organ donation. Legislation is coming through which will essentially move us to an opt-out system rather than an opt-in system. Investment is being made in the infrastructure requ…

I welcome this opportunity to update the House on the Government's response to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The current level of Covid-19 is having a negative impact on public health, as well as placing an enormous burden across all aspects of our health service. The number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in hospital and in ICU is high. We are seeing case numbers previously seen only in January of this year. Our situation is not unique. Countries across Europe are seeing a surge in cases. We heard the recent warni…

I will address it in my wrap-up.

I thank colleagues for the debate this evening, which has been very useful. I have taken a lot of notes and I have been checking in with the HSE and with the Department as we have gone through the various issues raised. I thank colleagues for the debate. I would also like to thank our healthcare workers, who continue to do an extraordinary job. This year, there is a level of tiredness in the system that obviously surpasses this time last year because it never let up in healthcare, be it in community care, in our ho…

I will address it during the debate.

I thank Deputy Cullinane for tabling the motion. It is a good motion and we will not be opposing it. I acknowledge the extraordinary work that is being done by the women and men in the National Ambulance Service. Before Covid arrived, they were doing an extraordinary job. They did not have the resources they needed. The investment was not going in; that is the truth. A very good and credible strategy was launched in 2016 that did not get the resources that it needed. That was the situation before Covid arrived. Sin…

Nobody should be harassed, insulted, intimidated or interfered with in any way when accessing healthcare services in our country or anywhere else. That applies absolutely to pregnant women who are accessing termination of pregnancy services. I welcome the publication of the Safe Access to Termination of Pregnancy Services Bill 2021. I would like to begin by thanking the Senators involved for their work on it. Their commitment - and indeed the commitment in most parts of the House, based on tonight's debate - to hig…

I will need to consult and come back to the Senator on it.

I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. I am here to introduce a resolution to extend the sunset clauses of three Covid-19-related Acts. The first is Part 3 of the Health (Preservation and Protection and Other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020, No. 1 of 2020; the second is the Health (Amendment) Act 2020, No. 19 of 2020; and the third is the Criminal Justice (Enforcement (Covid-19) Act 2020, No. 14 of 2020. The House will know that these Acts are due to expire next week. They provide for time-limited…

I thank colleagues for their time, contributions, challenges and ideas. These are extraordinary measures, these are extraordinary times and these sorts of powers should never sit comfortably with any Parliament. I do not think that there is any Member of either House that they do sit properly with. It is not just right and proper but essential that we have serious debate even on something that is a relatively modest proposal in terms of a 13-week extension followed by a need for legislation. These are serious power…

I move: That Dáil Éireann resolves that the amendments effected by Part 3 of the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020 (No. 1 of 2020) shall continue in operation for the period beginning on the 10th day of November, 2021 and ending on the 9th day of February, 2022." I am here to introduce a resolution to extend the sunset clause of three pieces of Covid-19 legislation: Part 3 of the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the P…

Deputies, that information is false and it is really important that Members of Parliament do not spread anti-vaccine information like this in the Chamber.

I beg your pardon. I am sorry.

The anti-vaccine campaign is so damaging.

The data the Deputy is reading into the record are false.