Seanad Éireann

Vol. 276 Friday, No. 10 4 June 2021 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Insert Date Here 04/06/2021A00100Teachtaireacht ón Dáil - Message from Dáil � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 454 04/06/2021A00300Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 454 04/06/2021B00200Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2021: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 454 04/06/2021N00100Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Motion for Earlier Signature� � � � � � � � � � 465 04/06/2021S00100Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 465 04/06/2021ZZZ00100Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 516 04/06/2021FFFF00100Right to Housing: Motion � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 516 SEANAD ÉIREANN Dé hAoine, 4 Meitheamh 2021 Friday, 4 June 2021 Chuaigh an Cathaoirleach i gceannas ar 9�30 a�m� Machnamh agus Paidir. Reflection and Prayer. 04/06/2021A00100Teachtaireacht ón Dáil - Message from Dáil 04/06/2021A00200An Cathaoirleach: Dáil Éireann has passed, on 2 June 2021, the Health and Criminal Jus- tice (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill, considered by virtue of Article 20�2�2° of the Constitution as a Bill initiated in Dáil Éireann, to which the agreement of Seanad Éireann is desired� 04/06/2021A00300Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad 04/06/2021A00400An Cathaoirleach: We often mark the national days of our European Union colleagues� Like St� Patrick’s Day, the Portuguese national day is a moment to remember one the country’s heroes, the great poet, Luís de Camões, the anniversary of whose death is in 1580� That is the anniversary remembered by the Portuguese people� Luís de Camões was the author of the epic poem “The Lusiads”, which highlights the voyage of discovery of the seafaring nation between the 15th and 16th centuries� Portugal’s national day unites all the Portuguese people, especially the diaspora on every continent, when they come together to celebrate their culture and history� From our geographical position on the edge of Europe, Ireland and Portugal, as two old na- tions, share a special relationship with the Atlantic Ocean and the wider world� Portugal has the Presidency of the Council of the European Union� At European Union level, and indeed in the wider world, we have warm and friendly relations� I extend my best wishes to the Portuguese people here in Ireland and around the world, as well as to the Portuguese ambassador, Miguel de Almeida e Sousa, on their national day� Bon dia Camões� 04/06/2021B00200Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2021: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages 04/06/2021B00300An Cathaoirleach: This is a Seanad Bill which has been amended by the Dáil� In accor- dance with Standing Order 148, it is deemed to have passed its First, Second and Third Stages 454 4 June 2021 in the Seanad and is placed on the Order Paper for Report Stage� On the question, “That the Bill be received for final consideration”, the Minister may explain the purpose of the amendments made by the Dáil� This is looked upon as the report of the Dáil amendments to the Seanad� For Senators’ convenience, I have arranged for the printing and circulation of the amendments� The Minister will deal separately with the subject matters of each related group of amendments� I have circulated the proposed groupings to the House� Senators may speak only once on Report Stage� The only matters, therefore, which may be discussed are the amendments made by the Dáil� Question proposed: “That the Bill be received for final consideration.” 04/06/2021B00500Minister for Health (Deputy Stephen Donnelly): These are essentially equivalent amendments throughout the Bill� To put these amendments in context, I received communication from the health committee expressing its serious concern about the Bill, as initiated, whereby a sunset clause of up to 12 weeks could be rolled over indefinitely pending a vote of both Houses. There was also a constructive and productive debate in the Seanad� On the back of that debate, as colleagues will recall, I undertook to seek the Government’s approval to substantially amend the Bill� This required a new decision of the Government� I secured that agreement to table amendments in the Dáil� The amendments, for which I sought agreement from the Government, will essentially allow only one extension of up to 12 weeks� The Bill would then fall� If it were deemed neces- sary in the future to have more targeted public health measures in response to Covid, we would need to go through the legislative process again� My understanding is that there was broad support around the Seanad for that approach� Earlier this week, these amendments were brought forward and passed in the Dáil� There are nine amendments, one of which is a technical amendment concerning wording� The other eight amendments essentially seek to do the same thing throughout the Bill� The Bill seeks to extend the ability of the Government to make regulations for public health measures that are proportionate to the risk posed by Covid-19� There are four Acts which allow for those powers� One of the amendments is a technical one concerning wording� The other eight are four groups of two amendments which seek to make the same change as the Bill pertains to the four Acts which are referenced and which we are seeking to extend the powers within� What they propose is, that after the initial period has fallen, or comes due, which is 9 November, with the agreement of both Houses, we could extend the period for up to 12 weeks� That would bring us up to February, and that would be the end of it� That would pertain to all of the related Acts� I do not know if I will get another chance to speak so, if possible, I will lay this out� There was a lengthy debate over many hours on Committee Stage in the Dáil and unfortunately I had no time to respond to any of it� There were some who believe that there should be no measures, that people should do whatever it is that they want to do, and that there should be nothing to try to control the spread of the virus� Quite a number of contributors believe that� They voted against the Bill, which I believe would be a rational vote� They fundamentally do not believe that there should be public health measures in place� (Interruptions). 04/06/2021C00300Deputy Stephen Donnelly: They fundamentally do not believe that there should be any public health measures in place� They believe that the civil liberty argument takes total pre- 455 Seanad Éireann cedence over the right to safety, human life, human health, etc� That is their position and for them to vote against the Bill is therefore rational� I utterly disagree with that view but at least if one holds that view and votes against this Bill, that is a rational vote based on the fact that one believes that freedom is more important than life, and that is fine. Many other people also voted against the Bill, which I found disappointing� They have always supported the fact that public health measures are needed and even in the debate accepted that these public health measures are needed now� As I am sure colleagues are aware, the Chief Medical Officer and I will meet with Limerick city and county Deputies and Senators later today� There is a serious outbreak in Limerick, with more than 100 cases from Wednesday reported yesterday� We are looking closely at it today� It goes right across society� It is from post-third level gatherings and parties, workplaces, commutes, household gatherings and is across the board� I was talking with the Chief Medical Officer about this yesterday and I asked if the Indian variant, or delta variant, is at play here, and he said that it was not� He said it is the B�1�1�7 variant, whichever name we are giving that one� We all understand the B�1�1�7 variant� It is just that at play� What is happening in Lim- erick right now is eminently solvable and I have no doubt that the people of Limerick city and county are already stepping up to deal with this and fantastic work is going on on the ground� It reminds us of just how serious the situation is and can quickly become, and why public health measures are needed� There were Deputies who, to their credit, believe that we need public health measures but believe that the date of November is wrong, which is valid� They tabled amendments accord- ingly and could have voted on those amendments� None of the amendments were taken and so they voted against the entire Bill� That is disappointing and reckless� Members of the Dáil who believe in and support public health measures, who fully back the idea that we need public health measures for what is happening in Limerick and different parts of the country, voted against the entire Bill� That meant they were voting against the State having any ability to respond to an ongoing pandemic which, in my view, was an extraordinarily reckless thing for them to do� Luckily the Bill passed the Dáil and

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