Lorraine Clifford-Lee (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is very welcome to the House. It is unfortunate that we are in this position. I do not think anyone present wants to be in it. The Minister stated that it is not an easy decision for this House or the Lower House to extend these extraordinary powers. We hoped we would be in a much better position. The uptake of the vaccine was extraordinary and very well received in this country but the viciousness of Covid is apparent to us all, as is the impact it is having on healthcare and the impact it will have in the future.It is proportional that we extend these powers for 13 weeks. It is a relatively short period. I hope we will then be able to reassess the situation and if, unfortunately, needs be, we will be able to proceed with further legislation, but I hope we will not be in that position. I hope we will get through the winter, but these powers are needed to protect ongoing education and healthcare. They are the two most important functions of the State. If a state cannot keep its citizens healthy and educated, it has failed. That is why these powers are necessary.

I wish to raise a couple of issues to which the Minister might respond when he responds to the debate. I have had a number of queries from constituents worried about the lack of contact tracing in schools. Our children are back in school and contact tracing is not ongoing because children generally do not pick up Covid in schools. Our schools have been excellent at maintaining hygiene and other good practices within their environments. However, I have had a number of vulnerable parents who are getting increasingly concerned contact me. These parents are immunocompromised. The Minister might address that point and whether there are any plans to reintroduce contact tracing in schools.

The booster programme is under way. It is unfortunate that that did not happen a couple of weeks ago. I understand that the more vulnerable sectors of society, such as people in long-term residential care and people over the age of 80, have received their boosters or are in the process of receiving them. In addition, our healthcare workers, thankfully, are now getting their booster shots. Will the Minister comment on other vulnerable communities? I refer specifically to homeless communities and the Traveller and Roma communities, who have less positive outcomes from the health system. They are medically vulnerable as well. Are there any plans to give booster shots to those vulnerable communities?

There is also the issue of fake Covid certificates. I have become more aware that they are freely available online and that people are using them. Is the Minister planning any public awareness campaign about the existence of these fake Covid certificates or will there be any clampdown on their availability?

Finally, a number of people who got their first Covid shot had an adverse reaction to it but have not been able to avail of a second shot. Therefore, they do not have Covid certificates, which rules them out from accessing a lot of areas of society. Will these people be able to have a second shot of a different vaccine in order to obtain a Covid certificate? These people are not vaccine-hesitant. Because of their reaction to the first shot, will they be able to get a different vaccine? The Minister might address that.

Members across the House might have concerns about extending these extraordinary powers. I do too and I think every right-minded person does. Given, however, the extraordinary situation in which we find ourselves, it is reasonable and proportionate that we extend these powers for 13 weeks.