Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join the Cathaoirleach in paying tribute to our former colleague, Professor Brian Hillery, on his tragic death. Ar dheis láimh Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

I ask the Leader to facilitate a debate next week on the Government's Covid-19 plan. The people have found this third lockdown much more challenging than other ones. Therefore, there is an onus on the Government to level with the people in a very clear coherent way and not in the drip-feed way that we have grown accustomed to in recent days. The debate and the roadmap should centre on the road to 5 March and from 5 March. I will give some examples where we need clarity. On education, we need clarity on special needs, exams as mentioned already this morning, and the reopening of schools. Do we let construction happen or not? We have received conflicting messaging on vaccine roll-out. All these matters require clarity from the Government.

In addition, what does the Government intend to do on mandatory quarantining? Where will these centres be? Who will be responsible for them? What is the import of that not just now but in the immediate future for everybody on this island of Ireland? How will the Border be policed? Added to all that is the issue of transport with Brexit as reported in the media in recent weeks and discussed at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications Networks last week. We have the issue of our tourism and hospitality sector. Ministers need to stop drip feeding and tell people in a clear coherent manner what will happen after 5 March.

I also ask for a debate on a zero-Covid strategy and not have a pathology of division and opposition but have a real informed debate about what a zero-Covid strategy means.