John Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach very much. I use my time on the Order of Business this morning to welcome the pathway which has been created to reopen indoor hospitality. I do so with reservations. As a 34-year-old who is receiving his Johnson & Johnson vaccine today, I have reservations about younger people, in particular, and those who are unvaccinated not having the same ability to access hospitality venues. We need to roll out the use of antigen testing to give people that option.When faced with the option of keeping hospitality premises closed, especially those without outdoor areas, until the end of August or September or putting in place such a system, I know which side I will support. I understand that changes made to that draft legislation yesterday now allow premises to be prescribed in regulation as opposed to primary legislation, which will make it much easier for the Minister to add other indoor areas. I impress on the Leader and the Minister the importance of considering other community venues, including bingo venues, in the next phase of the reopening process. There is no reason that vaccinated people, people who have recovered from Covid or people who can prove they do not have Covid with antigen testing cannot have access to such venues using the same process. It is important that our older people in particular have a social outlet to allow them to get back to what is the new normal. I call on the Leader to engage with the Minister in that regard and to impress upon him the importance of focusing on those additional areas.