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

We are making enormous progress here south of the Border. As I stated earlier, the percentage positivity rate was approximately 7% but is now under 4%. The average number of weekly cases is down approximately 1,200 to approximately 400. The numbers in hospital and ICU are a fraction of what they were in the spring and are now stabilising or falling.

The picture in the Border counties is variable. We are concerned about the situation in Donegal. We have not seen a significant fall in the incidence of the virus there, particularly in east Donegal. In the other Border counties, namely, Louth, Cavan and Monaghan, the numbers are good. We need to bear in mind that all Border counties are not the same. However, we need to keep at it and we need to drive the virus down further.

When we ease restrictions, and I think everyone is confident now that we will ease restrictions in December, there will be risks. There will be embers of the virus still out there in the community and, as we gather and meet again, those embers can be fanned. There is the risk of international travel, which was discussed earlier. There is a significant risk associated with cross-Border travel and the virus being brought south by people travelling back and forth across the Border. That is a real risk of which we need to be aware. We need to measure it better. In my view, it is not being measured as well as it ought to be. The 14-day averages in the North show it is at three times our incidence rate and four times our death rate. There is a significant reservoir of infection in Northern Ireland and there is a risk that could spill over into the South. If we ease restrictions in December, it will be a real risk too.

As the Deputy will be aware, Ireland is one country but it is not one state. Obviously, Northern Ireland is a different jurisdiction. That is part of the Good Friday Agreement and we must respect the fact that in Northern Ireland the Executive has decided to adopt a different approach from here and, indeed, from the approaches in England, Wales and Scotland. It is part of the Good Friday Agreement settlement that there is autonomy in Northern Ireland and that the power-sharing Executive there makes decisions for itself as it sees fit. The easing of restrictions in Northern Ireland and how that might impact on the South is something about which the Government is concerned. The fact that things are so much worse in Northern Ireland and the Executive is considering easing restrictions is very much on our risk register. We do have a memorandum of understanding. The CMOs and the health ministers are in contact with each other and the Taoiseach is in contact with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to express our views. We must respect the right of the authorities in Northern Ireland to make their own decisions for their jurisdiction under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

On the question regarding cross-Border travel, the Deputy should bear in mind that the 5 km rule applies. People can cross the Border, but only to go to work, school or college or for necessary reasons such as a medical appointment or to care for a relative or child, for example. There is no other reason for people travelling more than 5 km or across the Border. That is being enforced and I ask people to respect that.

See this speech in context