Results 9,461-9,480 of 27,073 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

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?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Special Educational Needs: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (25 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I thank the witnesses for their contributions. The need for the summer provision, both to have it and to expand it, is obvious. The aspiration of the Minister to reopen the special educational needs provision as best as possible in September is a noble and correct one which I am sure everybody shares. However, I wonder if there is a Walter Mitty element about some of this in terms of...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Special Educational Needs: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (25 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The HSE put out guidelines for its staff some considerable time ago. How can the HSE give the occupational therapists and its people who are involved in the provision of these programmes clear guidance on PPE, social distancing and other matters but the Department of Education and Skills is still scrambling to do it and there is all that uncertainty?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Special Educational Needs: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (25 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Does Mr. Tattan recognise that, come September, if, as Professor Paddy Mallon stated earlier, it is inevitable that we are facing a second wave, there will be a need to dramatically and quickly provide extra infrastructure, resources and staff - as we did for the health service via the Be on call for Ireland initiative - if we are to have any chance of meeting the eventualities we are likely...

Emergency Bed Capacity: Statements (24 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I saw the Taoiseach on "Prime Time" having fun at Sinn Féin's expense and referring to it as-----