Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This is my first day as a returning Member in this Chamber and it is great to be here. I also echo Senator O'Loughlin's remarks on Seán Lemass. I had already put a few words together, but she has covered most of them. It is important we remember he was really the driver of the opening up of Irish society to investment from abroad, to foreign direct investment which has provided so much employment and improved our living standards. He was also the Taoiseach at the time free education was being put through the Houses. Donogh O'Malley gets a lot of the credit but Seán Lemass deserves a fair share of it too. His legacy lives on with his grandson, Deputy Seán Haughey, who is still a Member of this Oireachtas.

I really welcome what happened yesterday in the reopening of society. It was fantastic. You could hear the joy of people being able to think about going shopping, organising to get their hair cut and feeling there is a freedom there now that was not there before. However, we are all aware that takeaway pints are being served and hospitality is occurring in a less than ideal regulated environment. I ask the Leader to arrange for the Minister and NPHET to look at the reopening of the outdoor hospitality sector perhaps a couple of weeks earlier than planned on 7 June, mainly because it is happening already. It would be more regulated, it would involve social distancing, table service and toilets being available. It would stop the free-for-all attitude there at the moment. I also ask that the possibility of indoor dining be pursued as soon as possible for employment and tourism throughout the country. The sooner indoor dining and socialising is available, when safe, the better for society as a whole.