Dr. Tomás Ryan:

I welcome what this committee is doing because it allows a diversity of voices to be heard. I would not use the word "debate". We need a discussion in Ireland on what strategy we want to pursue.

With respect to science, which is a view echoed earlier by one of the Deputy's colleagues, there is the science aspect of what we know and what we do not know, which is very important, but then there is the scientific advice versus what we can do. Then it is a question of what we want to do and how science can guide us to doing that. It is not a scientific question in terms of whether we can do zero Covid or do suppression; it is a political question.

In my view we need to open up this debate with the public in a thorough fashion and there is room for something like a Citizens' Assembly to discuss strategies to deal with Covid-19 in Ireland.