Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the point the Deputy is making. I recognise that Covid-19 impacted people differently. Some people who had it felt it was just like a bad cold and there were others, particularly those with underlying conditions and older people, on whom it impacted very seriously. All the measures the Government took over the last two years, including the various restrictions and so forth, were to protect our most vulnerable people until the vaccine programme was rolled out in full. Thankfully, we are at a stage now where the economy is fully reopened, society is returning to normal and we are not seeing a major spike in hospitalisations. That is down to the high vaccine rates in this country. They are way ahead of those of many other countries. That said, however, Covid-19 has not gone away. There are people with long Covid who are impacted more severely. Not long ago, I met somebody who had Covid in March and who is back at work, but there is no doubt that the person is very tired at times.

See this speech in context