Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the other Deputies on vaccines. There should be more time for debate. There should be a questions and answers session as well in order that we can raise the issues we want. We should sit on Friday to facilitate that.

We should be doing the same with regard to Brexit. I raised the issue on the Order of Business last week. We want these issues to be dealt with in questions-and-answers format. Time has been allocated on Thursday evening for questions and answers, but it is more for statements and speeches. That is not what we need on Brexit. What we need are questions and answers. There is a range of issues that need to be raised. There are questions to be asked about the UK land bridge, what will happen in fisheries and whether there will be a deal. We have heard from the Government in terms of the supports it will give to businesses such as those in the agrifood sector in the case of a no-deal Brexit and that is welcome, but we have not heard anything about what supports will be provided to help low-income and medium-income households to cope with increased food prices. A national audit of Brexit readiness has been published in the UK. When will our national audit of Brexit readiness be published? There is a range of questions on this issue to which we want answers and scrutiny. I ask that the provision for statements on Brexit be amended to the questions-and-answers format we have been requesting. The House should sit on Friday to allocate more time to the issues of vaccines and Brexit.

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