Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I second the amendment to the Order of Business moved by the Leader of the House.

It is a momentous week and a momentous number of hours as we set the clock for the final countdown to Brexit. It has been an arduous process for all involved. I would like to acknowledge the work of Michel Barnier, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney, and those who have been involved in the day-to-day Brexit talks over the past number of years. We are down to the final hours, and we will soon know if there is a deal or no deal in respect of Brexit. I acknowledge the Trojan work done and the monumental importance of this issue for Ireland - for our consumers, businesses and every sector of society. As has been commented previously, there is no such thing as a good deal in terms of Brexit. The best deal is maintaining the status quo, but we have to respect the decision that has been made, and I want to put that on the record.

The second issue I wish to raise in this momentous week is the laying out of the plan for Covid-19 vaccinations, which the Cabinet will be dealing with this week. It will have to decide how to prioritise certain sectors of society, including healthcare workers, our loved ones and the elderly in nursing homes, those over 70 years of age, and those occupying other front-line positions in meat plants or various other critical sectors where there is a high risk of infection. I wish the Cabinet well in setting out the protocol on the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine.