Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the decision for the reasons outlined. Public health officials need to concentrate on addressing the crisis rather than spending unnecessary time at committee meetings.

As I said at the Business Committee today, I welcome the Taoiseach's comments about briefings. There also needs to be provision, however, for parties, groups and whatever to put forward proposals in the Dáil that will be facilitated if it becomes necessary. For example, I believe there should be no two-tier system operating in the health service if we are trying to identify extra capacity such as intensive care unit, ICU, capacity, bed capacity or isolation units. The two-tier system simply should not operate. Private hospital capacity, which might be useful in addressing this crisis or for preparing for it, should be immediately made available. Any financial or other obstacles which might prevent individuals from taking the advice given by health professionals in terms of self-isolation or any other matter must be removed immediately. There should be no impediment to people doing what the HSE and public health officials are telling them to do. If we need motions or legislation passed in the Dáil, the Government needs to be open to proposals from all sides of the House and facilitate such proposals in the Dáil next week.

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