Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We most certainly are discussing it. If she goes through the Order of Business for the past number of weeks she will see sessions on vaccinations, mental health and Covid, childcare and Covid and education and Covid. It is extremely disingenuous to suggest that once a month would be some sort of a commitment on Covid when the reality is we have been discussing Covid day in and day out in this House and at committees of the House also. That is the case.

I have met groups which represent the zero Covid philosophy and had a good exchange of views with them. I do not dismiss any perspectives that people have on Covid. On a regular basis we will continue, as we have been, discussing policies on Covid, aspects of Covid and different perspectives on Covid.

In response to Deputies Gould and Michael Collins, the evidence was based on clinical and medical advice, and on getting vaccines out as fast we possibly can in the middle of a global pandemic. That is what we are endeavouring to do.

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