Unfortunately, I believe that the Taoiseach has to leave.

No, I am okay.

There are a number of Deputies offering. With their co-operation, I will get through them as quickly as possible. I call Deputy Danny Healy-Rae. I beg the House's pardon, but I will actually call Deputy Fitzpatrick. He was the last in this group.

I will just rise to-----

The Deputy will be next after Deputy Fitzpatrick.

Thank you very much, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I would say that----

Deputy Fitzpatrick is first. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae will be next.

As we speak, the Northern Ireland Assembly is discussing restrictions in Northern Ireland, which are to be reviewed on Friday. I come from a Border county. We in Louth, Meath and Monaghan have busted our backsides getting the coronavirus rate down. Our number of deaths has dropped, as has our number of positive cases. The North's numbers have doubled. Is the Government negotiating with the Northern Ireland Assembly? Everyone is talking about a united Ireland, but we seem to be on two different planets at the moment. We in the Border area are afraid for our lives. Everything is open in the North, including shops on main streets. We seem to be on a completely different island, but we are on the island of Ireland. If the Northern Ireland Assembly does not agree to work with us, it will be time to get the Army out patrolling the Border. The situation there has grown that serious. Is the Northern Assembly speaking to us? I hope that it will show common sense next Friday. Look at the difference made to this country since we went to level 5.

I thank the Deputy.

We do not want another lockdown. We have had two so far.

I ask the Deputy to co-operate.

If something is not done with the North, we will have a third lockdown. Please, sort out the North.

I have kept the channels open on a consistent basis with the First Minister and deputy First Minister. The Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, is in constant contact with the Minister for Health in the Northern Ireland Executive, Mr. Robin Swann.

The respective Chief Medical Officers are engaging. Our views are well known. I have made the point that harmony in terms of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland and the Republic would make sense. England has entered into a significant upping of the levels of restriction, and Scotland likewise. The Welsh are doing something similar. Our plan has been working effectively, from level 3 right through to level 4 in the Border counties and level 5. We are one of the best performers in Europe at the moment in terms of getting the numbers of deaths and hospitalisation down and getting the incidence rate down. It has been a great national effort from young people of all ages in the Republic. I urge people to keep it going so that we can get these numbers down to very low levels.