A few days ago, the Taoiseach mentioned the possibility of addressing rising numbers of Covid cases in four named cities on a citywide rather than a countywide basis, which I fully understand. In one electoral area in west Cork we have had fewer than five cases in the past 14 days. As this is based on per 100,000 population and the population of the local electoral area is fewer than 25,000 people, this effectively equates to less than one case and most probably none.

Since the Taoiseach spoke last week, on Sunday the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, spoke on certain counties with Cork, Galway, Waterford and Kildare being watched carefully over the coming days.

The reality is that Cork University Hospital, as of last Friday evening, had one - one too many - Covid-19 patient in the entire hospital. This is the largest hospital in County Cork and possibly the largest in Munster. Cork is a large county, stretching 150 km from one end to the other. Will the Minister continue with a more targeted approach and keep as many areas, parts of our country and economy open, as we all try to find a way through this? Will he specifically keep County Cork open for business?

Cork was the first real scare place in my memory of this back last spring. There was an instance in Cork where it started up. I remember talking to some of the medics in Cork who were really expecting to be hit the worst. In truth, Cork over the subsequent several months, had a much lower incidence compared to the rest of the country. That has changed in recent weeks in Cork city but it may, thankfully, not be the case in parts of the county.

We all have to be vigilant. One of the reasons the Government set up this framework with five levels is to allow us to be flexible and have a situation where a county can be at a different level. I hope that with Dublin and Donegal that if the numbers stabilise - we are not going to get the numbers down to zero - they can get back down to level 2. If we can all stabilise for a period, we can get to level 1. That is where we want to head to.

I have listened intently to the Minister. It is obvious there was no good news to be announced this morning because the Minister's Fine Gael Cabinet colleagues are not here.

There is an absolute crisis in the Government. I do not think the Minister understands it. From start to finish, we have had months of this in terms of the leaving certificate. It is unbelievable that the Minister and his colleagues in Cabinet would think that it was okay to sit down at a Cabinet meeting and not discuss the leaving certificate issue. The Minister is either saying it was not important enough or he did not get the gravity of what has happened.

The business of the week was being discussed. The Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Foley, or the Minister with responsibility for further education, Deputy Harris, was not even in it. Does the Minister realise that whatever words he is using, his actions are telling people a much different story? This is without the 10,000 prior leaving certificate students who we were told there were no places for but suddenly there are places for them. It is an absolute shambles. I feel sorry for the Minister that he has been left defending this.

The Government is working together collectively. I had a long conversation with the Minister, Deputy Harris, this morning to get every detail from him as to what will happen with the CAO and application points. I had the officials of the Minister for Education and Skills brief me at length. Over the past few days, our various teams have been fully briefed and informed.

The Cabinet comes to discuss something when there is a decision to be made. Sometimes it is appropriate to get the proper information, as well as all facts and figures correct. There was nothing restricting the Government in doing the key work that had to be done, which is sorting out this problem quickly to ensure we can get students in college next week. That is what we focused on.