Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Nobody likes rules, regulations or measures that affect our ability to live our lives as we please. To that end, it is understandable that there is some resistance to the planned extension of the date and the legislation. We have a very light-touch policing policy and that was reflected in the professional manner in which An Garda Síochána dealt with our public health crisis over the past 15 months. There is almost unanimity in the House on the extension of the date until later this year but it is important that the public knows and realises that we may not need the full complement of public health measures that have been in use over the past year ever again. It is important that we have a safety valve allowing us to call in the statutory measures again if necessary. There could be some need for local and regional restrictions to control outbreaks over the coming months but we hope that will not be the case.

It is easy and popular to be critical of the legislation. No self-respecting government would ever consider such legislation and we only did so against the backdrop of 2,500 deaths, heartbroken families and many devastated business sectors.

It is getting very hard to keep track of the emerging variants. Many speakers have alluded to this. We are particularly conscious of the challenges faced by the people of India. We can doubtlessly expect further strains to emerge over the coming months. We need to be prepared for them and have the capacity to deal with them as they arise.

I noted earlier that we have now gone 12 days without a Covid-related death. It is a trend we wish to see continue. We are now on the cusp of seeing 50% of the population receive their first vaccine. That is an important landmark on our road to recovery. We have surely travelled a long journey together since I first voiced concerns and reservations about the vaccine roll-out in March.

I make no apology for taking the opportunity to commend the Minister on the success of the vaccine programme to date. There is no doubt but that its success rests with him and the national vaccination team. We have come a long way but we are not there yet. While the current circumstances give great reason for hope, we need to retain the capability to react to any adverse developments, and this legislation provides that capacity for a specific period of five months.

I am relatively new to this House and never imagined that in my time here, I would see this legislation or anything similar. I earnestly hope that no Irish Government will ever again have to invoke such extraordinary powers, which surely run contrary to the very spirit of this great nation. I accept that the powers are draconian. We asked people to stay in their homes and told them they could not go to work or visit relations and family in hospitals or nursing homes. We told them there were to be no weddings and only limited numbers at funerals. We told their children they could not go to school. I acknowledge the legislation is not legislation that the Minister wanted to invoke. While hindsight and history may reveal that mistakes were made, I believe the Government has performed well in the face of a public health crisis. We rolled out the largest ever vaccine programme in the nation's history and can now rightly see an end to this crisis is in sight. The original legislation was for eight months and the period was then extended for a further seven. The Minister is before the House today seeking a further five-month extension, with a three-month sunset clause. It will provide the background that will allow us to unwind further the restrictions that have paralysed this country for the past 14 months. Before Christmas, I would have been bullish and pushed for the fast-tracking of the reopening of our economy. We did so on a limited base for Christmas and ultimately it came at a price. I concede that today.

This legislation is a safety net and it will not deny the Government the right to ease restrictions for hospitality, aviation, sport and the arts, arguably the last four sections of our commercial and social set-up that are caught in the crushing arms of this crisis. I look forward to the Taoiseach's statement on this tomorrow.

I reluctantly agree to the extension but do so in the certain knowledge that it is purely a safety valve to protect this nation and our great people. I also do so in the hope and expectation that we will never again need this or similar legislation.

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