Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Other countries have exited lockdown after being in lockdown for periods as well. Those are the facts. I asked the Deputy if he could give me an example of a country that has not used lockdown measures to suppress the disease. I did not hear the answer in the statement he made back to me.

I do not know what the Deputy is suggesting regarding what agenda he feels I may have. The only agenda I have is to play what part I can in reducing the loss of life in our country, saving jobs where we can and getting ready to create jobs again in the future when we are able to reopen our economy safely. A plan was outlined by the Taoiseach yesterday evening. We talked about what we are seeking to do week by week and then what to do as we move into May. That plan is there. Of course, we cannot deliver in a single go everything that so many parts of our economy and society want because we do not want to unravel or harm the progress we are making in suppressing this disease and implementing a vaccination programme.

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