Results 9,281-9,300 of 26,897 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: SME Recovery (30 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I thank Mr. Moran and his colleagues. All present agree on the need to inject money into the economy, SMEs and the pockets of workers in order to get the economy moving again. It would be useful, particularly in light of the worrying indicators from around the world and possibly even in Ireland in the context of the pandemic, for those representing the business sector to clearly acknowledge...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Arts and Entertainment Sector (30 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I thank the Chairman and the committee for agreeing to my request to have this session and to get EPIC and the National Campaign for the Arts in before the committee. It is hugely important that their voices are heard. The terrible irony of the current situation is that society has never before needed the arts, music and culture more than it does now to sustain itself in a difficult time....

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Arts and Entertainment Sector (30 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I thank all our guests for a very powerful presentation. There seems to be a sympathetic ear from all members, and I hope we can discuss how the committee can put forward recommendations arising from what our guests said. The point made by the Chairman is a very good one. It is a bit baffling that for us to engage with NPHET and the Health and Safety Authority to ask the simple question of...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Arts and Entertainment Sector (30 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: That may be so, but I think the Government is possibly taking advice from public health authorities. It is something we could try to get the bottom of and see what the rationale is because there does not seem to be a consistent one behind that. That change would make some difference but it still would not solve the industry's problem until we get back to normal. Is that correct? The...

Taoiseach a Ainmniú (Atógáil) - Nomination of Taoiseach (Resumed) (27 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I am sharing time with Deputies Barry and Paul Murphy. People Before Profit will not be supporting the nomination of Deputy Micheál Martin for Taoiseach. That has got nothing to do with him personally. It has to do with our understanding of what people voted for in the general election of 8 February. The Taoiseach derides the use of the word "change" by some of us. If it was just...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Testing and Tracing (25 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: On a point of order before I start my questions, given there are not as many committee members here will we get a chance for a second round of questions? Now that we have our experts-----

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Testing and Tracing (25 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I have been watching the whole thing, but for public health guidelines-----

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Testing and Tracing (25 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It is for precautions.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Testing and Tracing (25 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Yes. I was just asking if we will get a second chance.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Testing and Tracing (25 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I wish to put formally on the record my request that the minutes of the expert advisory group are published up to date. I do not know how many times I have asked for this. It is boring how many times I have had to ask. It is even more important that these minutes are published and that we know what the experts are saying at a time when there is very significant pressure from industry to...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Testing and Tracing (25 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It would be great if we could get an answer on whether there is any difficulty with that.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Testing and Tracing (25 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: A "Yes" or "No" would be great.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Testing and Tracing (25 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I wish to state for the record that although the extent to which the public should be aware of the deliberations of the expert advisory group is debatable, members of this committee and other Deputies, as those who are responsible for oversight of this effort, should know the substance of those debates. I read the most recent minutes of the debate within the expert advisory group on the use...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Testing and Tracing (25 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Is it not a bit of a problem that those responsible for infection control do not know who is contracting the disease? We have heard that young people are contracting the virus. Are they young people who were drinking cans on the banks of the canal or are they young people in direct provision? There is a big difference between those things and we need to know them in order to make informed...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Testing and Tracing (25 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: In my final few seconds, I ask for more information to be provided. For example, I have been contacted by hairdressers. They are glad to be going back to work, but they are worried.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Testing and Tracing (25 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I had to dig out a shaver to get this cut. My point is that people are worried about the guidelines, whether they are adequate and how they will be policed. One way to test whether the guidelines will work in various sectors is to know whether there are particular outbreaks among hairdressers, transport workers or airport workers or, if we reopen schools, among schoolchildren. Surely that...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Testing and Tracing (25 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Is it not reasonable for us to know that information?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Testing and Tracing (25 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: With regard to the Chairman's question and my earlier question, I would still like more affirmative confirmation that we will get additional information about things like the occupations and workplaces of cases. That will be critical as we open up the economy. I just wish to make that point. I have two very quick questions. Did Professor Mallon say that recovery times were considerably...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Testing and Tracing (25 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Sure. Has that got something to do with the viral load they may have been exposed to because of the nature of their work? Is that a factor in how sick people get and how long they remain sick? I am just curious about that. I will move to my second question. I totally agree with what Professor Mallon said about the footprint. We will be putting a square peg into a round hole with...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Testing and Tracing (25 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Could Professor Mallon put a figure on the amount of additional staffing and capacity we need across the health service in order to deal with both the pressures existing before Covid and the additional need for Covid care?