Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I hope it will be said again and again, that we must thank all our front-line workers including our doctors, nurses, hospital cleaners and catering staff. Our Seanad colleague, Senator Devine, has re-registered as a nurse, which is commendable. Nearly 24,000 people have signed up to the HSE's volunteer call. Words cannot say how grateful we are for the selfless actions of the many who are working on the front line, many of whom have separated themselves from their families because of the risk of transmission. These people should be commended all the more. They are working and living in war time situations. We have not seen the worst of it yet.

As Dr. Catherine Motherway told "Prime Time" last night, we must take this very seriously. We have half the number of beds of Italy and the EU. We must stay at home and stop socialising. Not only will there be a public health element but also a large economic element arising from Covid-19. The effects of the challenges that we will face as a society will be unprecedented. There are 250,000 small businesses in this country, and the large majority will suffer and many may not survive. Today's legislation dealing with the social welfare Acts puts some supports in place to deal with this and to help those who are vulnerable and who do not have an income to get through the next few weeks. We fully support the measures. I have some questions but we may deal with them later but now I wish to raise how undocumented migrants are not catered for.