Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The wearing of face masks and face coverings is still very much a matter of scientific debate. Some scientists speak about it with great certainty, but within the expert advisory group, the National Public Health Emergency Team, NPHET, the World Health Organization, WHO, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, ECDC, and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, one hears different advice because there is not a scientific consensus on this matter. The research that has been done has largely been done in healthcare settings, not in the community, and it has been done more generally and not specific to SARS-CoV-2 and therein lies the difficulty. The advice currently from NPHET is that healthcare workers should wear a face mask and that those with symptoms should do likewise. NPHET is currently considering whether to extend that advice more widely. There are different types of masks, including surgical masks, respirator masks, face coverings and we do have to bear in mind the risk of a lack of supply. We do not currently have a problem with the supply of face masks but if we ask people to wear two, three or four of them a day, having 16 million per day available will be difficult. It is not the slam-dunk that the Deputy may suggest it is, but it is something that is very much under consideration by the National Public Health Emergency Team.

On the passenger arrival form, we are considering regulations to make that mandatory. Primary legislation is not required. It is possible for the Minister for Health to make regulations under existing legislation and that is under consideration.

The Deputy made a very good point about local authorities being under some difficulty with their funding arrangements. The three months' rates waiver will help them because they will get that money from central government. They will actually get more than they would have taken in because there is never 100% payment of rates. We will be giving them 100% so that will be a bit of a cash boost to them. I fully appreciate that they are going to have other lost revenues in other areas and we will work with them on that.

I need to be frank with people, be that individuals, businesses, public bodies, local authorities or State agencies, it may not be possible for the taxpayer to compensate everyone for everything that is lost. That just may not be possible but we will do the best we can within the resources we have.

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