Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies for their contributions to this morning's very productive debate. I acknowledge the very broad support across the House for the Bill while acknowledging there are Deputies who will not be supporting it for the reasons they have outlined. It was always going to be the case that any extension to legislation providing for mandatory quarantine or its reintroduction would only be proposed on the basis of strong public health rationale. The Bill before us permits the reintroduction of hotel quarantine. A decision on whether to proceed with making hotel quarantine operational will be taken in line with public health needs, but I strongly believe that having the system ready to go if we need it is the right decision now, based on the level of uncertainty and how quickly things are moving. Given the emergence of the new variant of concern, Omicron, however we say it, and its impact on vaccine effectiveness, we need to be able to reduce its transmission so that we can safeguard the community. There are a large number measures in place domestically around transmission reduction. They have been pointed at the Delta wave but they are also there for any additional variants. The measure we are discussing relates to the importation of cases.

It is also very important the House reflects the values and standards we have set for ourselves in constitutional and EU law. The Bill was drafted in close co-operation with the Attorney General in such a way to ensure the necessary measures it may introduce are justified on the basis of evidence, that they are proportional to the dangers posed, that they are targeted towards those specific dangers, and that they are limited both in scope and time. All those requirements and safeguards are very important.

Earlier, Deputy Duncan Smith raised the process of designation of states. As before, it will be a dynamic process in response to epidemiological changes around the world. Ultimately decisions by the Minister for Health on the designation of states are taken in line with and with the support of very robust evidence, as per the Bill. States are also removed from the list where the evidence supports that. We saw that previously.

In parallel with the legislative process, cross-governmental work is ongoing to put in place the practical measures necessary for the implementation of the measures that are set out in the Bill. Obviously, a significant amount of operational work is required, including ongoing work on the procurement of services for accommodation, food, medical and transport services and to put in place the procedures, protocols and protections necessary to ensure the smooth and safe operation of the system.

There are other issues. I am sorry I do not have much time but there is considerable time on Committee Stage later which will give us the opportunity to address some of these matters-----

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