Ivana Bacik (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House. I welcome the opportunity to debate this motion, which would provide for a relatively short extension of the powers to operate mandatory hotel quarantine until 31 July. The Labour Party will not be opposing that short extension. In fact, Labour argued for the introduction of mandatory hotel quarantine.

As my colleague, Deputy Nash, said last week in the Dáil, mandatory hotel quarantine is not a tool with which any of us are comfortable but it is one we recognise has been necessary and effective in the fight against Covid-19. The Minister put that clearly in his speech to the House today and the speech he made to the Dáil last week. We are all conscious that the context in which mandatory quarantine was introduced was very different to the one we are in now. It was introduced at a time when the numbers of infections and transmission were rising. We also saw the transmission of new variants. None of us at that time, back in March, were fully informed as to how effective the vaccines were going to be against variants. We were at a much earlier stage in the vaccination programme and very much recognised the importance of this as one of a panoply or package of measures to be used against the virus. That was the dreadful context of the introduction of mandatory quarantine. Any discussion of the package of measures we have been using against Covid must recall how many thousands of people have died from the virus in Ireland. The total of 4,900 is extraordinary. Senator Malcolm Byrne spoke earlier about the need for a collective review of the grief that so many people have had to suppress. Those people have been unable to grieve properly or in the usual way. They have not had the normal supports that are available to people who have suffered a bereavement and we should all reflect on that matter.

In that dreadful context, mandatory quarantine was clearly a necessary measure. All of us will be conscious of hard cases and many of us have been approached by individuals for whom mandatory hotel quarantine was particularly tough for many reasons. Looking at the numbers the Minister has cited, we are all conscious of the impact that being detained in a hotel for that period will have had. We know about the number of appeals and the difficulties with the conditions in some of the hotels. It is, therefore, important that we move with agility and flexibility in operating the system for the few weeks that this motion extends the powers, as is recognised on a cross-party basis. I welcome the way in which the Government moved on exemptions and, for example, resolved issues around babies born abroad through surrogacy, an issue around travellers coming into Ireland who are fully vaccinated and, of course, the cases of students for whom particular provision has been made, as the Minister said. In respect of essential travel, looking at the list of categories, it is most important that it be kept under review. As Senator Conway stated, compassion must be brought into it. It is also important that agility and flexibility are brought to bear on the countries that are covered by the order. I welcome the revoking of the designation of the countries mentioned by the Minister, namely, France, Belgium, the US and Luxembourg.

All of us look forward to the roll-out of the EU digital green certificate from 19 July 2021. We all fervently hope that it will not be necessary to continue to operate the same level of mandatory hotel quarantine beyond 31 July. I am glad we are dealing with a motion to extend the powers only until that date and not for the three months that would have been possible under the legislation. It is sensible that they are being extended for a shorter period. It is preferable, in any case, because it is vital that the Oireachtas bring scrutiny to bear on any motions extending draconian powers of detention and the sort of emergency powers that we have seen and the related legislation under debate in the Dáil and Seanad this week and last week. It is important that we use the shortest period necessary for extending the use of emergency powers. At the same time, we need to be conscious of the need to extend supports, such as the PUP, EWSS and the ban on evictions. It is important that these supports are extended for as long as necessary to protect those who are going to be most impacted by continued restrictions.

I very much welcome the cautious reopening and the announcement made by the Taoiseach last week. Deputy Ó Ríordáin sounded a very optimistic note when he welcomed the announcement of the reopening on RTÉ's "Morning Ireland" last week. All of us are very anxious to see a return to some semblance of normality. That is hugely important after all of the closures and the many impacts on businesses, individuals, communities and families that we have seen over the last 16 or 17 months.

I pay tribute to the staff who have operated mandatory hotel quarantine under very difficult conditions. All of us should be aware that they are front-line workers too. I also pay tribute to all of those involved in the massive roll-out of the vaccination programme. I was delighted to receive my first vaccination in the Aviva Stadium on Lansdowne Road just over a week ago. I pay tribute to the huge effort that is going into making the vaccination programme so successful every day.