I am sharing time with Deputy Harkin. I will make a short statement and ask the Minister of State some questions, to which he might respond, before I hand over to Deputy Harkin. All speakers have mentioned the impact the closure is having on small businesses and tourism enterprises throughout the country and the question of how they can reopen in the coming time. A good report was done by the local authorities providing a regional analysis of the economic impact of the Covid-19 environment. It shows that the north …

Yes. I have two questions to which the Taoiseach can respond. Then it will be Deputy Harkin, who is sharing time with Deputy McNamara. My first question has been topical for several days. It relates to people travelling from Northern Ireland into the Republic. We have been told that the Garda cannot stop them and tell them to go home. If that is the case, how has it happened? What does the Government intend to do about it? I do not believe that it is prevalent or that there are hordes of people coming across the Bo…

I am sharing with Deputy McNamara and Deputy Fitzmaurice.

I have one quick question. I am pleased to see that after almost two hours, fishing was mentioned in the previous contribution. The only question I wish to ask relates to fishing. I want to know the Minister's plans. Previously, he said he did not want to redirect the EMFF because he felt it was not suitable. What is going to happen in regard to fishing? What is critically important as well is that all fishermen will be assisted. It might take different measures to assist different categories of fishermen, such as …

What about assistance for ongoing costs? The costs can be up to €12,000 for a small vessel, and that has to be paid continuously.

Does this mean that my group does not get a recognition of any its questions to this? That is not on. The time has been badly managed if that is the case.

These are the questions. With all due respect to the Minister, maybe he can answer them. Maybe he cannot. They are questions to the Taoiseach. This one the Minister might be able to answer is in relation to a number of briefings from the Government in the early days of March. The community health organisations were identified as having carried out investigations of all centres where people were living in congregated settings. I would like the Minister to outline the number of assessments that were undertaken and, w…

The Order of Business for today stated that this session would last for two hours. Why has it been cut short?

Well then-----

It was not managed properly. It should have lasted for two hours. That is what was ordered.

I will share time with Deputy McNamara. I have submitted a number of questions, of which I will ask two now, and perhaps the Minister will answer the others separately. Seasonal workers in the tourism industry in County Donegal and elsewhere include employees and self-employed people who were not working on 13 March, which is the reference date for the pandemic payment. They are suffering a loss of income because there is no tourism. What measures can they avail of? Can they avail of the pandemic payment? In recent…

I agree that we should meet next Thursday. It is vitally important. There are workplaces that are not essential but the Dáil is very necessary. It needs to be in place to hold the Government to account and to make Government accountable for its actions. Whether that is the part-time or caretaker Government that we have now or a new Government, the Dáil has to meet. That should override any other consideration. I know we can do it in a way that protects staff here as well and have a minimal number of staff here. Tha…

I would like to share time with Deputy Harkin.

I begin by extending my condolences to the families of the people who have passed away from the coronavirus over the last while. It is important that we should extend our sympathy to them. We should not forget those who have passed away under normal circumstances because it is not normal for their families to have to make funeral arrangements like those we have seen in recent weeks. It is difficult for families as they begin the grieving process. We should extend our sympathies to them as well. It is vitally import…

I take this opportunity to wish the Ceann Comhairle well on his re-election. The people in Donegal who elected me were very clearly concerned about the issues of housing, health and climate change and the impact they were having on their lives. Housing is an issue right across Ireland - not only in Dublin but in rural Ireland as well - and they very clearly stated that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael did not represent options to them in dealing with those issues. I clearly stated on the doorsteps and during the election …