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

I want to raise two issues with the Taoiseach this morning. Earlier, the Taoiseach spoke about the €1.57 trillion EU budget that is to front-load our response to Covid-19 and the €540 billion to support both the social and economic recovery. We need to do the same in this country. We need to support a social and economic recovery. The Government has put several programmes in place. Some of them are working well. However, significant gaps remain. On many occasions I have asked the Taoiseach and the relevant Ministers for the Government to look at putting in place some small-scale grant aid for small businesses which see a mounting wall of debt as they remain closed, whether because of insurance, utility bills, rent etc. It would give hope to those businesses that maybe in phases 2, 3 or 4, they could reopen. They will know at that point, especially in the hospitality sector, that it will be a matter of survival. If they are already carrying debt, they are less likely to think in terms of reopening. Yet, a small level of grant aid could make a significant difference.

I raised this issue with the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Ring, yesterday around community and voluntary groups trying to keep community centres afloat. They are dotted throughout the country. They are the lifeblood of communities. Often crèches, language schools or dancing classes bring in a little money to keep them afloat. They too are facing rising utility bills and they have no way of making any income to help.

As part of our social and economic recovery, could we consider some small level of grant aid for such businesses and community enterprises? Businesses that do not pay rates are locked out of the restart grant. Could that matter be examined?

This is the fourth time I have raised my next issue in the Chamber with the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health, namely, healthcare for non-Covid patients. I asked for flexibility on the consultants' contract and changes to the private hospital contract. I am happy with the Government's decision to end the latter contract. However, it will be in place until the end of June. That is 25 full days. If someone is waiting for a biopsy or is in pain, those 25 days will make a considerable difference. Is there any possibility that, in the interim, flexibility can be shown and changes can be made to give people hope that they can get into hospital?

In the beginning, the Government moved quickly. That was the right thing to do. Will it now inject the same sense of urgency into the rapidly building non-Covid healthcare emergency that it injected into the Covid emergency?

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