Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

A point was raised by Mr. O'Brien earlier in argument to the approach. It is the argument we hear regularly in opposition to this approach, including from the former Taoiseach and now Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Varadkar, which is that Ireland is not like New Zealand.

We are much closer physically, geographically and economically to our nearest neighbours, Europe and the United States. Our economy is a very different one from New Zealand's. How would the witnesses address the interconnected nature of Irish society and our economy compared with other places? Where does a zero-Covid policy end? Is it like everything else and must go on until a vaccine is found? I ask Professors Kearney and Staines to discuss the interconnected nature of the Irish economy.