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

It is now five months since Second Stage of our Workplace Ventilation (Covid-19) was passed unanimously. The Government did not oppose it. The Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Damien English, said:

The Government supports the objective of this Bill. I assure the Deputy that my officials and I will work with him to determine the best approach to achieve these objectives.

He also said officials from the Health and Safety Authority and his Department would like the opportunity to meet me before Committee Stage and that he would call me that afternoon. I am still waiting for the phone call and the meeting.

We do not need to pass the Bill because the Government could do what is desired by regulation. We would be happy for it to use regulations to establish standards for clean air quality. Short of regulations and in terms of information, why is the Government not promoting ventilation and filtration among businesses, schools and colleges? Covid is still with us and killing people. We need to do everything we can to be as safe as possible and to have as little disruption to society as possible. The most obvious and scientifically clear things to do are wearing masks and having ventilation and filtration. Why is there no Government messaging around these key issues?

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