David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Sinn Féin has consistently set out a common sense approach to tackling the pandemic. This is in stark contrast to the approach of the Government at times, which includes ideas many people see as bonkers, mixed messaging and missed targets in respect of testing and tracing. We proposed an amendment to the motion, which was ruled out of order. This amendment called for the removal of the substantial meal requirement and meal recording regulations, which would allow the remaining closed pubs to reopen as gastropubs have done. It never made sense to me and it does not make sense to many people that one has to have a substantial meal. We are going to see the pubs open. They should be open as quickly as possible to give all pubs an opportunity to open safely within the rules and guidelines but on the same basis as those which have been open for some time. When there are mixed messages and solutions on the table that do not make sense, people start to lose confidence in the authority of the Government and the messages it delivers.

We want to see an end to the substantial meal requirement and that was in our amendment. We want to see all of the pubs open and we also want to see more social outlets for people as we grapple with this virus and learn to live with it.

Unless we have proper treatment and solutions to this pandemic, we will have to live with this virus for some time to come. That means people have to be able to live with the virus. Living does not mean going to work, school or college alone. Living with the virus has to mean that people have social opportunities. Humans have to interact. We have to do so within the guidelines and in a safe manner that keeps pressures off our acute hospitals and front-line staff but we have to provide those outlets. That is why I want to see the pubs open in a safe way across the State, whether it is in the capital city or in any part of rural Ireland.

The Minister should be in direct discussions with sporting and cultural organisations, businesses and trade unions to look at ways in which we can increase attendances at matches. As has been said already, it does not make sense to the public that we cannot have gatherings in stadiums the size of Croke Park, Páirc Uí Chaíomh and other GAA, soccer and rugby stadiums across this State that hold huge numbers of people and can accommodate more people. We have it in the North where there are different regulations and rules and more people can be accommodated outdoors and yet we do not have those guidelines here.

The Minister tells us he will publish his plan next week on how we will live with the virus. The problem I have with the Minister for Health is that he is constantly promising us plans. He has promised us a plan on how to support our acute hospitals and to deal with the winter season that is coming at us and we still have not seen it. He promised us a plan on cancer services and we discussed that last night. Rather than setting out-----

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