Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to have an opportunity to participate in this debate, though the timing is not the best. It would have been better if we could have had the debate in the context of the plan for international travel that is to be announced tomorrow. It would have been helpful if there had been more discussion and particularly more briefing in that regard. As I have said a few times now, there has been no briefing from the Government for the Opposition on any aspect of the response to Covid since last December. That is not helpful or in any way collaborative, and we need collaboration in the context of a national effort on Covid, so it is regrettable the Government has not taken the opportunity to do that.

It is important to point out the fact that mandatory hotel quarantine was recommended in May of last year. It is very regrettable that the Government did not take that advice on board at that time because a number of issues related to travel contributed hugely to the difficulties we experienced last year. There was travel from Italy in March and April, people travelling to Cheltenham and then the repercussions from Spanish holidays. Much of that could have been avoided or contained if the advice on introducing travel controls had been listened to at that point. As a result of that, however, and as a result of inadequate protections regarding the threat from travel, last year 2,000 people lost their lives, people's livelihoods were destroyed, tens and tens of thousands of people lost their jobs and their businesses and devastation was caused to people's lives. We have to reflect on that and on the opportunities that were there to mitigate much of that devastation which were not availed of at the time. That lesson was not learned.

Then, at Christmas, when there was the very serious threat from the UK, namely, the Kent variant, and when the advice was again to tackle the issue, that advice was not taken on board and that wave ended up absolutely ravaging the country. More people died in the first two months of this year than had died in the entirety of last year. Again, it was a failure to address the importation of a new variant, namely the Kent variant, and we paid and are continuing to pay an enormous price for that. It was not until the end of March that the Government moved on this. Arguably, if the advice on mandatory hotel quarantining and the protections it gave had been taken on board at an earlier stage, the country would now be in a much better position than it is, having weathered a shocking five-month lockdown, with still some way to go until we will be fully opened up. It is important to point out that lessons should have been learned and that there were opportunities to do that.

The Minister mentioned the difference mandatory hotel quarantining has made, even though it came in very late. We know that public health doctors have said it has made a huge difference, and it is important to recognise that. Dr. Ina Kelly made the point that the number of new variants of concern of Covid-19 detected in Ireland had fallen to zero since the introduction of mandatory hotel quarantining in late March. That is a really important point because that is where the huge threat has been coming from over recent months. Dr. Kelly went on to make the point that mandatory hotel quarantining, combined with improved contact tracing, has helped to reduce the spread of Covid-19. She said:

Public health consultants breathed a huge sigh of relief when mandatory hotel quarantine came in. It's making a huge difference to protecting the population. So therefore making it easier for ... [public health doctors] to do ... [their] job.

That is a very important thing to note. Now, however, as a result of the huge efforts on the part of the public in adhering to the regulations, the restrictions and the lockdowns over many months, and as a result of the huge bonus from the vaccine programme, it is to be hoped we can go forward with considerable optimism and hope that we will be able to continue to open up the country. However, there needs to be caution in that regard, and dealing with the threat of variants of concern has to be part and parcel of that.

I am happy to support the motion. I would just like the Minister to explain why the terms of the motion have changed since last week. Last week the briefing given was to the effect that the extension would be until 8 June, which seemed to be an obvious thing to do. Why is the Government now extending it until 31 July? What is the point in that? It may be the case that the Dáil will have to revisit this sooner rather than later. The other thing is what the Government proposes to do about people who will be outside of the provisions of the green certificate. Overall, however, I welcome the fact that the digital green certificate is going to come in. I hope there will not be delays with it. I certainly hope the vaccine programme can continue apace and that we address the supply issues.

Another important measure to help address potential difficulties with travel is antigen testing. I do not understand why antigen testing is not being used more widely and I would like the Minister to deal with that.

Some of this responsibility should have been taken by the Minister for Transport. It would have been good if he had been more proactive in identifying the supports our aviation industry badly needed. I hope we will see those in detail tomorrow.

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