Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Like Deputy Connolly, I extend my sympathies to the families of those who have lost loved ones to Covid-19.

Like many Deputies, I have a sense that the measures the Government has put in place are, by and large, adequate to provide a safety net or comfort blanket for ordinary workers, retired people and so on. It means they can have a sense that they can survive this time and have a future to look forward to. I found it interesting earlier to hear the Taoiseach say some of the extraordinary measures put in place might be kept in place. While they would certainly be modified, it is a recognition that we as parliamentarians can and must step outside our comfort zones and that we must smash the status quowhen we need to. I hope the lessons we have learned will remain.

More than anything else, this crisis is about people and the significant levels of uncertainty and fear they feel. The legislation we passed last week, as well as that which we hope to pass today, will deal with some of that uncertainty. There is confusion about the parameters for testing and I understand people's frustration, expecting tests and so on. People want to know that tests will be available further down the line but each one of us must behave as if we have the coronavirus and must treat each person we meet as if they have it too. While the Government, the HSE and the WHO issue advice, how that advice is followed will ultimately determine the pathway of Covid-19 in Ireland.

In respect of the legislative proposal before us, my colleagues, Deputies Fitzmaurice and McNamara, and I have submitted a number of amendments, which we will deal with as the debate progresses. They will address concerns about lodgers, people who share homes, the need for substitute consents in certain circumstances, and the possibility of speeding up the registration process for health professionals for a defined period. Other areas of concern relate to health and safety in care homes, asylum centres and emergency accommodation. I am not sure what plans the Minister has in that respect but measures need to be put in place immediately.

Two other groups, namely, farmers and business people, need to be provided with a more adequate safety net for their income and with a sense that they have a future. Our response in this regard has just been not sufficient up to now. In the case of the closure of marts, for example, the shock of that has been incredible for the beef and sheep trade. Farmers cannot move stock. I do not know whether it is possible, but perhaps we should investigate possible measures to determine whether, with reduced numbers and people linking in remotely, any solution can be found. At EU level, we must lobby significantly for intervention schemes. They are called intervention schemes because they are used to intervene when there is market failure, which is what is happening.

Businesses have received some relief but more is needed. I have examined some of the measures taken in other EU countries to give support to businesses and I think we need to do a little more. Some measures might include a rates exemption for six months or a deferral of VAT payments, payroll taxes and so on. Furthermore, businesses need more than loans. For example, Belgium is putting in place a replacement income for self-employed people, with city tax is to be abolished in Brussels, while in France, there is the possibility to postpone part or all of the payment of employer and employee contributions. We also need to consider the rates on loans. The Microfinance Ireland rate, for example, is 4%, whereas the equivalent in Belgium and the Netherlands is 2%. It is hard to speak of using this crisis as an opportunity but there is an opportunity for Irish businesses to consider increasing their online presence during this time if they are given additional support to do so.

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