Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This Bill is entitled an Act "to make, on a temporary basis, exceptional provision, in the public interest and having regard to the manifest and grave risk to human life and public health posed by the spread of the disease known as Covid-19". It is temporary, for a period of up to three months, during exceptional circumstances and in the public interest. That is what the Bill is about. Am I 100% happy? I am not, but what are the alternatives? Opening against public health advice and strengthening the Delta variant, which did not exist when we set the reopening dates three months ago, would be more dangerous. Leaving all the business closed until we achieve herd immunity for all citizens might take a number of months. No one wants businesses to open and have to shut down again.

I fully support the Bill because it is a temporary provision to allow indoor hospitality to reopen in a safe and sustainable way. That is safer than the alternative route of fully reopening. The Bill is about getting businesses open and people back to work. There are in the region of 20,000 pubs and restaurants in the country and more than 250,000 people working in the hospitality industry. The vast majority of those businesses have been closed for 12 months or more. As tourism spokesman, I have met numerous groups representing this industry. What I have taken from those meetings is that over 50%, in some cases up to 70%, of the income of those businesses is earned during the months of June to September. We need to protect those businesses and give them an opportunity to maintain their livelihoods. I trust them to operate professionally and efficiently when they reopen within the health guidelines. I compliment Senator Casey, who spoke for the industry. We need to listen to the people in the industry. I am glad that when the decision not to reopen was taken, the Government sat down with the industry. At a meeting of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party, I said we should meet with the industry before making those decisions and work together. That has happened and that is why these proposals are on the table.

We have a situation at the minute where people are travelling to Northern Ireland for holidays. We want people to spend their time in this country to make sure we get businesses reopened, people back to work and ensure they can maintain their livelihoods. It is regrettable that the Opposition parties are using this for political purposes. They are playing with people's jobs and livelihoods.

I will be fully supporting the Bill. As numerous Senators have mentioned, I would ask that we look at the issue of PCR and antigen testing. That issue must be looked at. Many other countries across Europe are implementing that testing and we should consider it.

This Bill is about reopening our hospitality industry, which has been closed for 15 months. It is an industry that employs 250,000 people. When the most recent crisis hit this country, the tourism industry rebuilt itself and brought people back into the country. The industry will get this country back on its feet again.