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

As for moving to phase 4 and allowing pubs and, I think, nightclubs, casinos and a few other entertainment businesses to reopen, it is likely a decision on this will be made by the Cabinet tomorrow evening, following advice from NPHET. I cannot yet say whether the decision will be in the affirmative or the negative, but it will be made most likely tomorrow evening at our Cabinet meeting. That would give those sectors the best part of a few days to prepare. I hope it will be possible for them to reopen. I know there has been an uptick in the number of new Covid cases in the past week or two, but they still number in the teens or about 20 per day. We did think there would be a slight increase in case numbers as we eased restrictions. I do not think the increase has been so enormous that at this stage it should prevent us moving to stage 4, but that is not a decision for me on my own. We need the advice from NPHET, and the Cabinet needs to decide.

I totally take the Deputy's point about grants and loans. We need more of both. One of the things that I expect will be part of the package next week will be an improved and enhanced restart grant that is open to more businesses. A lot of businesses did not qualify for one reason or another. I would like to expand the grant in order that more businesses can qualify and get up and running or, as the case may be, stay up and running.

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