Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Government cut the pandemic unemployment payment and the wage subsidy. That is the reality. For all of those in low paid work to whom the Taoiseach referred, and whom he correctly said are disproportionately affected by a very severe lockdown, let me tell him that the fact the Government cut these important supports looms large and is to the forefront of their thoughts when there is any talk of a complete lockdown, because those are the supports they rely on to pay their bills and to live.

The Taoiseach said the Government has to foresee all eventualities. I absolutely agree with him. More is the pity that back in 2009, when we had 289 intensive care beds and when we knew at that stage that that was grossly insufficient, he and others in government did not have the foresight to plan for proper capacity. The truth is this. We are now reaping the harvest of more than a decade of underinvestment in our public health system. The truth is that we do not have the necessary capacity to reassure the public and even to reassure NPHET that we can make it through the autumn and winter months. Does the Taoiseach accept that we need to increase intensive care capacity? What will he do now to make that happen?

See this speech in context