John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I was going to stop him myself, a Cheann Comhairle, but thank you for that.

I begin by agreeing with Deputy O'Dowd's request about nursing homes and a review of the processes and procedures that led to some of the examples he gave. I join other Deputies in commending our front-line workers and commending other people involved in the services sector in particular who worked at their post, if you like, throughout Covid-19. Previous speakers have referenced how working patterns and lives have been changed forever by the impact of the virus. That is true and many people are now working from home and will continue to do so, to one extent or another, into the future. I commend also the people of the country. The response of the general public has been exceptional, especially when we look at vaccination rates. Ours is one of the best in the world.

I intend to flag a few issues in the short bit of time I have. Deputy McNamara and others were, throughout the process, eloquent in this House and other places about examining the role of Government in curtailing the personal liberties and freedoms of individuals. I share some of their concerns. As part of the review of what happened during Covid-19 we need to look at where we stand with respect to the potential for future pandemics. I welcome the fact the Minister with responsibility for communications and the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Martin, are involved in recent announcements on fake news on social media and clamping down on some of that. Despite a torrent of it, the general public responded very positively in this country.

The other point I raise in the minute or two I have left concerns NPHET. I know some of the people who serve on it. I do not envy its members the job and the difficult task they had and continue to have as a group that deals with giving the Government guidance on public health. However, as part of the review process the interactions of NPHET, or whatever the NPHETs will be, should be considered. The methodology that prevailed towards the end of, for want of a better term, kite-flying, whether it was coming from the political sector or from those involved, either directly or indirectly, with the National Public Health Emergency Team was far from acceptable. I happened to be at some of the public health meetings at the end of the last Government when the virus was here first.

One thing that struck me even then was the swift response of the public services to try to deal with something we did not know the extent of at the time. Overall, the public services responded very well to unprecedented circumstances but that is not to say that as part of the review, difficulties such as the ones Deputy O'Dowd has pointed out and the ones that have been pointed out by others in relation to the Government interfering with people's liberty should be considered. The latter was something that had to be done and I support doing it. What are the mechanisms by which those decisions could or would be made if viruses or other public health or public order issues emerge into the future? There are lessons to be learned. I commend the Ministers of State present and their predecessors on their work during the pandemic.

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