Paul Murphy attacks U-turn on antigen testing, warns on healthcare

The programme for government commits to universal healthcare. In light of the announcements yesterday, one has to wonder if that is going to be healthcare by Lidl Middle Isle. The way that Minister Donnelly attempted to explain what is a U-turn, what is a retreat on the previous policy of at least saying you are going to subsidise antigen testing, to saying no, that the market has done it itself, really required some brass neck. Do the Taoiseach not accept that price gouging will still be taking place for those who do not manage to get the antigen tests in the Middle Isle, and that what we need to do is to provide antigen testing as part of a public health service for free, as is happening with the NHS in Britain. Thank you, Deputy Deputy. The Prime Minister, I want to remind you that the original question was about the programme for government. The key elements of that programme for government have been ground-breaking and significantly developed, and delivering housing for all is the biggest state investment in housing in the country's history. I would suggest that Deputy Callan go to the Minister with specifics because he is adamant that the local issue does not arise any more and the accommodation should be provided. We have faced up to and responded to the climate and biodiversity crisis. Other parties have not. They are playing politics with it. The government has decided to go for it, passed the law, passed the climate action plan and the carbon budget. We need those who are particularly against the climate and are almost in denial about the climate to really come on board, because this needs to be an Oireachtas approach. Managing our country safely through the COVID pandemic has been a significant achievement of the government so far. We have rolled up one of the most successful vaccine programmes globally. We have plotted the country's social and economic recovery. It has been significant since springtime with unprecedented direct financial supports and Ireland's largest ever capital investment programme in the NDP. We are delivering and developing the most significant initiative in North-South relations in decades through the Shared Island initiative. We are embedding health reform in the lessons learned from COVID-19. In respect of bespoke measures for the entertainment or musicians in that area, the Minister has actually announced some schemes. We will continue to work on that. The government will keep that under review in terms of more bespoke models to support those who may still be under pressure in respect of the current situation. In terms of PEAT, let us be very clear. The government cannot break the law, cannot advocate the breaking of the law. This was a court action. People will never tell the straight story here. The court has arbitrated on PEAT. Anything we do has to be in line with your EU directives and your EU environmental law. I have no difficulty publishing the report, but the ministers are coming to see can we get a resolution to this for the horticultural sector. In terms of the income thresholds, I get your point about more discretion and more flexibility in terms of the fuel alliance. I will talk to the minister for social protection in that regard and other ministers in respect to measures we are introducing to reduce the overall levels. The income threshold will be made retrospective to the budget in the increase of that. I know what you are saying. It is not enough. We need to do more than Deputy Devlin on diabetes. It is a very important issue. Again, I will work with the minister and the HSE to expand diabetes services. The progress has been made. In terms of renters, I have not seen that article, Deputy Barry. I will have to see the article before I can comment on it. I am not finished yet. I am going to reverse backwards. I am going to reverse backwards. I apologise. Deputy Locke, I think we will give a fair bit of time to the defective block issue. It is a very comprehensive scheme. We did ask for very specific submissions from parties. Your party decided not to respond to the minister. I do not know. It is central. The housing agency is central to Quebec. Deputy Kelly did raise the issue in terms of the Limerick mayoral office and election. I would hope that we are working on the legislation. I do take your point that certainly in 2022 now has to be the time to get that legislation passed through this House and developed. In respect of masks for nine-year-olds, this has been advised. It will be required. It has been advised and it will be required. We are not going to regulate in law in terms of legal regulations. I think we have to work with children and be practical about this, and children with special needs in particular. I have dealt with everybody, Deputy Barry. I have dealt with antigen all day, but the important point in relation to antigen is that up to 130,000 given out free now through close contacts, 100,000 close contacts given out free, 130,000 for food production and agricultural sector, 22,000 in higher education, all freely dispatched. 8,000 yesterday alone in respect to primary schools dispatched free to close contacts in terms of children. So there is a lot of antigen being given out free to targeted groups, which makes sense. And then in terms of the overall price range has come down to between two and three euros. The alternative would be about half a billion if we were to make them free over 12 months. I think we have to allocate and use our resources wisely as well. The alternative would be about food collection, how toинов vulnerable groups would remove if they are stream있ées as well. But does not have rich in terms of�umes through several longing for their own features. That means we would provide contracts for different the products by using them as well. Also we know the related thing because the incorporation of the top ship for the second ship is much more obserwiente than the topic. I would say that we have дней them in any terms for the ophthal体 куп loan project, however, those positions come down to Revival by.