Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I support the Bill. It gives legislative effect to the changes to the Covid support schemes announced by Government in response to the public health restrictions and introduced from 21 December 2021 right through to January of this year. These supports have been vitally important to businesses throughout the pandemic and it is very important the necessary legislation be put in place as soon as possible. I do not always pay tribute to the previous Government but, at the outbreak of the Covid pandemic, we were moving from an election cycle and through Government formation talks and the Minister and his colleagues took up the cudgels and carried it on until this current Government was formed. From the very get-go, the mantra was to keep Ireland and its population safe and to protect lives but also to protect the economy. We are still not fully out of the Covid pandemic. Some people close to me received a diagnosis of Covid just this week. We are still in that realm or space and, even though the matter has left a lot of the public discourse, we are still dealing with it. In the fullness of time, what those who serve in government and those who support it will truly be judged on is how safe we kept the country and how well we supported the economy. In both regards, not a perfect job has been done but a pretty good job has. I believe that has been recognised internationally.

There are, of course, problems as we emerge from a situation of peak Covid. Is Deputy O'Reilly okay? I am sorry.

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