Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies Feighan and Dillon. I thank Deputy Feighan for raising the issue in regard to churches. This is an issue where commonsense needs to prevail. It is an issue that myself and the Taoiseach have asked the National Public Health Emergency Team to give some consideration to at its meeting tomorrow and to provide some advice to Government before we make our decisions tomorrow as to how to proceed to phase 3. I feel very strongly about this issue for a couple of reasons. First, religious freedom is very important and, whatever one's faith or creed, one's ability to practise one's religion, and proclaim one's religion, in one's place of worship is something I know we all hold dear and take very seriously. Second, I know how much their faith has mattered to many people at this very difficult time for our country, for people individually, for families and for communities. I know how many people are reliant on their faith at this time and are looking forward to returning to mass, church or whatever service they attend in regard to their faith. As the Deputy said, the churches have been very proactive in terms of putting measures in place, and he read out a long list of preparatory works. It is about recognising that not all churches are the same size, as the Deputy rightly said. It is about making sure that churches can safely socially distance. We do not want anyone getting sick at mass, at church or at a place of worship. I hope NPHET can provide further guidance tomorrow that can help rectify the important issue the Deputy highlighted. As I said, commonsense needs to prevail.

I join Deputy Dillon in extending my sympathies to the family, friends and community of Detective Garda Colm Horkan. An attack on a garda is an attack on every single person in this country and I know that as a country we are all grieving his loss. I extend my sympathies to Deputy Dillon also, who knew Colm Horkan personally, and to his community also.

I thank the Deputy again for raising the issue of Mayo University Hospital. As he said, I visited Mayo University Hospital with the then Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, and I was very impressed by how well it is run. The Deputy is right.

Through no fault of anybody in the hospital it simply needs more capacity, a larger physical footprint. I have been eager to see the work to increase the size of the emergency department commence and for the next phase to begin. On foot of the Deputy raising the issue tonight, I will send a transcript of this debate to the CEO of the HSE and ask him to respond to the Deputy directly. Providing that additional space will become all the more important in the context of Covid-19, which makes things like infection control, ensuring space between patients and staff and avoiding overcrowding all the more important. The HSE is doing much work in that regard. I am pleased to note that since we last discussed the issue in this House the energy works have gone to tender. During our time in government we have made very a significant investment in health services. I was delighted to be in Mayo with the Deputy for the opening of the hospice. It is an incredible community project that we are very happy to support fiscally. I look forward to progress on Mayo University Hospital and to keeping in touch with Deputy Dillon and working with him on that.

See this speech in context