Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to say a few words on this issue. I welcome the Minister to the House and congratulate him. He has had a very difficult period over the last two years as the Minister for Health. No Minister for Health in the history of the State has suffered as much he has or encountered so many difficult situations. It is a great task to get on top of this pandemic that befell the whole world and great credit is due to him, and the Government, on so many different occasions. With being hit by so many different variants at different stages it is not an easy time to be in his shoes.

No sector of society has been as hard hit as the hospitality sector. When one considers what some in the industry have gone through, and are going through, it is very difficult. The industry comprises great employers. They employ people who would never be employed. They employ young people and people who attend college. They employ people who leave secondary school and some people who attend secondary school. They give most people their first job. All of this has changed for them. People in the sector cannot work from home and these businesses need customers to come into their premises. Those are two factors facing the industry.

The schemes and support systems that have been put in place are very welcome and very much appreciated by the sector. However, in some cases, people fall between the cracks. I have one case where a pub provided drinks and then provided food. Schemes were brought in and it falls between the cracks so may not qualify for the employment wage subsidy scheme, EWSS. I have written to the Minister for Finance about one such case. The Government should look sympathetically at cases that are highlighted.

Let us consider the last couple of days. NPHET or the Government should have communicated with Ryanair. Mr. Michael O'Leary must be congratulated for operating the biggest airline in Europe and providing connectivity. As an island nation we should be most thankful to him for the connectivity that we have now around Europe. Connectivity has been made possible to a large degree by Ryanair. Mr. O'Leary has operated Ryanair through very difficult circumstances. He said very harsh things about the Government, and I suppose it is every man to his own trade in this business. However, Ryanair should have been contacted because it is not easy for an airline to change all of a sudden and implement the impositions put on it by the Government.

Last week, in my own area we were notified that there would be a walk-in service provided at Breaffy, Castlebar, County Mayo, which operates for the whole county. For several hours persons over 60 years could walk in. The over-60s were unfairly treated on one occasion where they were given AstraZenica but younger people were given other vaccines and before them. However, last week, the over-60s could walk into the vaccination centre if it had been five months since they received their second dose. If 152 days had lapsed double vaccinated people could get their vaccination there and then without notification. Today, I noticed that I got a letter but it does not state that there are any walk-ins for over-60s. There is a service for people who are underage, minors, schoolgoers and people who have received one vaccine and who can get a second dose. It seems that no provision has been made for the over-60s for the next couple of days. Some people under-50, who received a different vaccine from AstraZenica, have qualified to get their second dose. I would have presumed that there still would be walk-in centres in the western region and Castlebar area for people over 60 years in the next couple of days provided that everything was in order. Am I correct?