Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

In the same way that we have the advice of the Chief Medical Officer and others, we need to think about the fiscal implications of what we are doing. I say it for this reason. As well as providing the income support which we are providing today, which is critical, we also very quickly need to start thinking about the nature of the economic recovery and it will not be just income stimulus but investment stimulus that we need to make. That will be an investment stimulus in the health system. As we have said, let us use this opportunity to switch to a public health service. Let us listen to what Mr. Paul Reid said at one of our meetings recently, namely, he was able to do more in a week in moving towards Sláintecare than we might ordinarily do in a year. This is an opportunity to invest in our health system and to change it in every aspect.

The Taoiseach gave the example of our childcare system and the same applies with our healthcare system. At a time of radical and rapid change, there is a chance for us to invest to bring our health system in the direction we want. That will require investment. Similarily, if we have tens of thousands of workers and hundreds of thousands unemployed, we should be looking to ramp up our public housing programme straight away as a way of lifting the economy and as a stimulus to come out of the unemployment that may come with this economic downturn. We also need to start thinking now about how we use the green new deal to deliver a low-carbon economy that strengthens our local economy so we are not so reliant on global systems. We need to start thinking of all of these systems now. All three of those policy objectives will require investment, as well as the money we are committing here to provide future income support.

I echo the comments of Deputy Micheál Martin. I understand the Taoiseach has a European Council meeting by video conference this afternoon or evening. It is important that we are seen to be part of international co-operation in tackling this crisis and we need this to be a time of European solidarity, and not a retreat to nationalism and the building of borders. We had a meeting of our European Green party leaders yesterday and we agreed a joint approach, including support for the concept of Eurobonds. It is vital we do not leave countries experiencing difficulties alone at this time, particularly countries such as Italy. Just as we need to consider direct provision centres here at home and how we manage those cases, we also need to support the Greek government and others with ongoing refugee crises. That is now doubling down with the additional virus problem.

In the bigger picture, there is a question as to what type of politics will come out of this crisis. Will we see a retreat away from some of the populism and nationalism that do not have a regard for science and do not believe in collaboration in the responses we make. We have a chance in Ireland to give a sign that we believe in collaboration. We are showing that here and we should continue to show that in the immediate months of this crisis by working together cross party. I think that will lead to a better response. In a crisis, we are good at working together and not dividing along party lines.

Lastly, many changes will come from this situation, including what we value in our daily lives and how we use technology. One of the other outlying things, however, that I hope comes from this is an appreciation our public service. We are agreeing emergency legislation. As Deputy Micheál Martin stated, this is not seen and is not very glamorous, but the ability of our public service to act quickly in the public interest is very real. I commend the Department of the Taoiseach, the Department of Health, the Department of Finance, the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and others involved in the generation of this emergency legislation, as well as members our own team, of Green Party and other Deputies, that have been willing to do what we can to make it better. We will support it, we will try to suggest amendments and we will be stronger together.

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