Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Tánaiste and congratulate him and his Department on their response to gaps exposed by Covid. The supports to business have been significant, as have the changes in sick pay, remote working, the living wage and small company rescue. The Department is showing signs of a real capacity to respond.

Many people were quite winded by reports on Monday that the Delta variant could result in 700,000 new cases and 13,000 hospitalisations in the next three months and more than 2,000 deaths. Many businesses and other organisations depending on public patronage will be very interested in the evidence that will be put forward in that regard. Are thresholds beginning to emerge in this new analysis at which we can expect to see a capacity to make decisions so that people know that if cases remain at X, Y or Z level in July or in the first two weeks of July, the modelling relating to extreme cases is not accurate and, therefore, they can proceed? I am interested to know that because people are quite taken aback.

What contingency planning is being done in the Department with regard to the significant challenge coming down the track in respect of the corporate tax regime?

I wish to probe the preparations in respect of climate within the Department. I get the sense that the Department believes that because climate action relates to transport, energy use and so on, it is not really for the sectors. I think that is misleading. What is being done in the area of freight in particular, which will be a difficult problem? I refer to design and packaging in sectors that supply consumer markets. Is the Department planning to promote reuse, repair and refurbishment in a way that could see a different approach, that is, the so-called circular economy, where products have a longer life and there is less waste? I would be interested to see that. Specifically, are IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland now planning for a very significant offshore sector?

How are companies being supported to respond to the need for significant growth in apprenticeships? Many traditional sectors supported by the Department do not have a very strong history in apprenticeship. It may be the case that we need to see significant changes in that regard.