Emer Currie (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will. I welcome the Minister of State. There has been a more measured discourse in recent weeks about young people and how Covid is affecting teenagers. I welcome that. I remember when summer holidays seemed like an eternity. Lives were changed over the course of three months and yet many of them have had nine months at home with mum and dad and no social life. There is more empathy now than there was for the challenges young people are facing.

I wish to speak about the smallies because they have not had the same amount of attention and everything that has happened has been a massive upheaval for them. As the Minister of State is aware, I have two small children who are six and seven, and he has small children. The thing about small children is that it is not a problem until it is a problem. They have been going through a lot. I thought mine were coping fine until Hallowe'en and I told them there would not be any trick or treating. What came out in one sentence is something that I did not pick up on as being there to the extent it was. My daughter said to me that first it was St. Patrick’s Day, then it was Hallowe'en and next it will be Christmas. I wish to flag that. It is completely understandable. We are talking about businesses reopening, but we must also remember the magic of Christmas and that we only have a very small number of Christmases with our children. We do not want them to be afraid of what Christmas is going to be like or that it is anything less this year than other years.I welcome what the Minister for Foreign Affairs said in the Dáil today, clarifying for all children, including my own, that Santa is an essential worker for essential purposes, meaning he does not have to self-quarantine but should observe social distancing.

It is not just about Christmas but it is about January. The data from the schools with a positivity rate of 2.5% suggests we are managing school transmission. Non-contact training outdoors in pods of 15 is working. There have been no playdates, ballet classes, Irish dancing, drama, Beavers or Cubs for small children, however. I fear for them. I want them to have more than just school. This also has an impact on the family as well. I know about this as I am of that age group looking after small children and elderly parents. There is much anxiety around my age and stage.

To have the reassurance that we will be going into January with a more organised calendar, and that it is not just about school but about their hobbies, would be a great relief for many parents and the businesses which run those activities. That is why the roadmap over the next couple of weeks will be important. It is also important that it is clear, incremental and that people and businesses know what to expect.

So much of our focus has been around Covid health. In January, I hope it shifts to general and mental health. Our general mental and physical health are important. We also need to turn our attention to support those who have had Covid.

I welcome the Department's protocol in helping businesses open safely and stay safe. We need a booklet that goes to every home about working safely at home, to ensure people know their rights, as well as employer and employee obligations in that regard.

I am glad to hear other Senators use the phrase that I asked them to use earlier, namely, Green Friday. Tomorrow is Black Friday. We want to turn it to Green Friday by supporting and clicking local, championing our local businesses, jobs and communities.