Since last Monday's comments by the Taoiseach, Tipperary publicans have been distraught and demoralised. We all want to have a Christmas and enjoy it, but the policy of the continued closure of pubs over Christmas has destroyed Christmas for publicans and their dependent families. It spells financial disaster for them. Unlike other countries across Europe, Ireland has victimised publicans. We are fooling ourselves if we believe house parties and social gatherings will not happen over Christmas. People have been through one of the toughest years in living memory. They will celebrate Christmas because they need to do so and alcohol will be part of that celebration. It would be much better if we celebrated Christmas in the controlled and much safer environment of a pub, where the publican would ensure proper rules are followed and behaviour is monitored. The publican will police his customers and if need be, the Garda will police the pub owner. That is the way it should be. Publicans have generations of experience. They are responsible, trustworthy and capable of opening for business in a safe manner.

The Deputy is over time.

I ask the Tánaiste to see what can be done to assist publicans in the next 24 hours.

There will be a meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee on Covid today and a Cabinet meeting tomorrow. After that, we will be able to make a decision on what can and cannot reopen in December. No decisions have yet been made about restaurants, pubs or hotels at this stage. Whatever happens, we will make sure financial supports like the employment wage subsidy scheme and the Covid restrictions support scheme, CRSS, remain in place for businesses that cannot open. As Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, I will make sure that happens. I understand the argument that a pub is a controlled environment and that people are less likely to interact there than they would at a house party or a home gathering, and I am sympathetic to it. However, we need to bear in mind that just because people can gather in a pub, it does not mean that an equal number of home gatherings will not happen. In fact, it is very possible that, having spent a few hours or a night in the pub, people will then retire to somebody's house and have a house party there. It is not necessarily true that if we open the pubs there will be fewer house parties. We might end up with the same number or even more and therefore increase risk.