Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

It is very positive that the Omicron wave was less destructive than had been feared. The question for now is how not to waste the breathing space we have been afforded. We should use that space to make our society more Covid-resilient and pandemic-resilient rather than just forgetting about it all. The question for the Government is whether it is going to ensure that workers have the right to clean air in their workplaces. Will it proceed as quickly as possible to implement our Workplace Ventilation (Covid-19) Bill 2021, which has passed Second Stage, to ensure that everyone has the right to clean air? Will it provide needed HEPA filters to schools and ensure that every worker has the right to a high-quality, high-grade FFP2 mask or equivalent like those provided to Deputies and Senators? If we are to avoid more variants of concern, we must scrap patents on vaccines. We should support the People's Vaccine campaign to ensure that vaccines are distributed to the 40% of the world's population who still do not have a single dose.

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