Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach for the opportunity to update the House on the Government's response to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and to the approach to reopening Ireland.

As Senators will be aware, this country has been developing and reframing our response to Covid-19 for almost a year. Our country moved swiftly to establish the mechanisms to respond to the disease and this was undertaken on a cross-Government basis. Senators will be aware that a National Public Health Emergency Team, NPHET, was established, as well as a number of subgroups and an expert advisory group. The recommendations of NPHET form a key part of the considerations of the Government in its response to the ongoing Covid challenge.

Since the first set of restrictions were announced by the then Taoiseach in March 2020, the aim has always been to return to a level of normality and to reopen the economy and society as safely as possible. I wish to acknowledge the work undertaken by the public sector and by employers across the economy in working with us to ensure that the measures were implemented safely. I also want to acknowledge the forbearance of the public in keeping with us on these public health measures. There is hardly as aspect of Irish life that has not been impacted in some way by coronavirus and it is acknowledged that this pandemic has affected us all very deeply.

The Resilience and Recovery Plan, announced by the Government on 15 September 2020, provides the overall framework by which we allow society and businesses to operate as normally as possible, while continuing to suppress the virus. It is designed to help individuals, organisations and sectors to better understand, anticipate and prepare for the measures that might be introduced to suppress the virus. Given the constantly evolving nature of this pandemic, it is critical that a certain amount of flexibility is built into the plan to allow for a nuanced response. This allows our public health doctors and the Government to take account of disease profile and trajectory at given points in time and to make decisions accordingly.

We are now at an important point in our response to Covid-19. As we face into the challenging season of winter, as well as a time when many families plan to come together for Christmas, it is important to ensure that we continue to observe public health advice, even as we seek to reopen. We have almost reached the end of the six weeks of the measures introduced on 21 October under level 5 of the resilience and recovery plan for living with Covid. It is fair to say that like many other countries, this Government has faced critical decisions on the measures that need to be applied to limit the spread of coronavirus and the impact of these restrictions on the economy and society. I assure this House, as well as all citizens, that none of these decisions have been taken lightly.

It is expected that the Government will this week announce the measures that will be in place once the current set of restrictions under level 5 expire at midnight on 1 December. These decisions will be taken following recommendations from NPHET, as well as consideration of the cross-sectoral impact of new measures. However, regardless of the measures that will be announced, it is important that we maintain our observance of the recommended public health measures, many of which have been in place since the beginning of this pandemic.

Encouragingly, as the House will be aware, we have now seen the emergence of positive results in relation to vaccine candidates that are in development. The reported positive trial results from AstraZeneca, BioNTech and Moderna provide reason for cautious optimism. However, it should be noted that all proposed Covid-19 vaccines will require approval from the European Medicines Agency prior to use. There remains a good deal of work to be done before we have a full understanding of the effectiveness of vaccines, including how long they may provide immunity for, and whether their effectiveness differs across particular age groups of the population, or between different ethnic groups.Most importantly, we need assurance as to the safety of any vaccine. Nonetheless, there are grounds for some optimism that we are beginning to see the breakthroughs that we need to move the world out of its current situation. The House is aware that Ireland is participating in the process being led by the European Union to procure vaccine supplies. However, given that it will be a number of months before any vaccine is here and accessible on a widespread basis, we must continue for the moment to rely on the tools that are immediately available to us. The use of face coverings, social distancing protocols and personal hygiene etiquette remain vital. We must remember that over 71,000 individuals in our country have now tested positive for coronavirus and, sadly, more than 2,000 people have died. Each of the 2,000 deaths represents a mother, father, son or daughter who has sadly passed away due to this disease. It is important, as we discuss the decisions taken by this Government, and its predecessor, that we continue to remember and reflect on these facts. I urge all members of the House to continue to promote the public health messaging on Covid-19 in order that the most vulnerable in our society are protected.