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

I am extremely conscious of the tremendous progress that we have made in the vaccination programme in recent weeks. It is hugely positive that we have gone ten days without a Covid-related death. I thank the three Ministers here today, as I know they have invested a huge amount of time, energy and passion in this. I commend their efforts and those of their Departments.

I look forward to what I hope will be a positive update from An Taoiseach tomorrow. It is vital that we see a meaningful pathway forward for aviation, tourism, hospitality, sport and the arts. We all agree it has been a terribly difficult 14 months for the country. Businesses have struggled and, sadly, many will not reopen. As tired as we all are of regulations and restrictions, there is still an onus on us to put public health first.

Notwithstanding the successes of the vaccination programme, we are still tracking the UK and Northern Ireland by six weeks. At this stage, businesses and communities desperately need clarity and certainty so that they can plan their recovery. I am hopeful that the Taoiseach will deliver on the need for certainty and clarity tomorrow.

Yesterday's Fáilte Ireland guidelines for the hospitality sector were confusing and, in some respects, divisive. There is a short window for the sector to recover and we must give rural communities in particular every chance to recover. We again seem to be differentiating between hotels, pubs and restaurants, seeking to impose poorly thought-out time limits and also limits on the number of people allowed on the premises. We are probably two to three months away from finally getting to grips with Covid. At this stage we should be energising, mobilising and enthusing businesses and communities but yesterday's Fáilte Ireland guidelines have left them deflated and frustrated. I believe the public health requirements must come first, but I appeal to An Taoiseach and Government colleagues to provide a clear path and, where necessary, the supports that key sectors will need to restart and recover.

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