Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Butler. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir Currie as ligean dom labhairt ar dtús. I have a couple of technical questions. I appreciate that the Minister of State might not have all the technical answers but I trust that she will use her good offices to instruct officials to achieve clarity and to communicate. I initially submitted this matter to ask when the portal would be going live. We understand now that it was up yesterday but that it is going live today. Off the back of that, there has been some confusion. I would like to use this opportunity to give the Minister of State a platform to provide some information or get the word out because there are many watching this morning who want just that.

It is really welcome that this is happening in the first place and that citizens in the North, in particular, are able to avail of the EU entitlement, not least in the context of having lost so much as a result of Brexit.Will the Minister of State clarify that the way to obtain an EU digital certificate is through the online portal? Yesterday, it was the understanding of some people that if they did it through the Covid tracker app they would be able to get the EU digital certificate. It seems now that what they actually received is an EU-compliant proof of their vaccination in the North. Can one do it via the old app or is there a new app coming online or is the portal? What is the best way?

Second, in order to obtain the app through the portal one must have the North's digital certificate. That is only valid for three months and one must reapply each time. Do people have to reapply every three months for the EU digital certificate? Travel dates are required to obtain the digital certificate in the North. That is a problem for people who perhaps are not travelling but who want to travel from the North into the South and use their digital certificate to access entertainment, leisure or hospitality facilities.

Finally, the Minister of State will know that many people from the South, not least healthcare workers, were encouraged to get vaccinated in the North. In order for them to apply for the EU digital certificate they need a certificate from the North, but to get the North's certificate they must be resident in the North and, obviously, they are not. I said this would be technical and I hope I have not overwhelmed the Minister of State or other colleagues. I look forward to hearing from the Minister of State.