Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Black lives matter, and it is good to hear that spoken about in the House today. There is no doubt but that the type of racism we have seen in America does not apply here, and that is very welcome, but racism is here, as the Taoiseach acknowledged earlier. We have heard racist talk from Deputies in this House but also during election periods, when candidates get elected using the race card against Travellers and black citizens and residents of our State in order to curry favour and gain votes for themselves. Does the Taoiseach agree that the system of direct provision, as it operates here, adds to this sentiment across the State? That is a very different question from those that were asked earlier, and I would like him to reflect on it.

There has been a lot of rumour and speculation around the reopening dates. We have also had a lot of discussion on it today. I wish to touch on the issue of the 2 m and 1 m separation distances that the Taoiseach mentioned earlier, particularly in the context of small restaurants and how they might afford to meet the requirements. Many of the owners of small restaurants to whom I have been talking have indicated that they will not be able to open or that it will not be financially viable for them to open with the 2 m requirement in place but that they could do it if the 1 m requirement was introduced. How restrictive is this, and how committed is the Taoiseach to the 2 m requirement? Restaurants and so on need to be able to start planning now for when the 2 m distance requirement might be lifted in order that they can spend money to make sure they are well positioned. The bigger disaster would be for them to go ahead and plan on a 2 m distance requirement only to discover in two or three weeks' time that the Government will reduce it to 1 m instead. That would be worse.

The Government needs to highlight clearly the decision now and whether the measure is going to stay or if it is going to be reduced. We need a clear indication of when the Government will make the final decision on that. I am keen for the Taoiseach to address that issue as well.

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