The Government's mismanagement of the hospitality sector has been a car crash. The collateral damage has affected many pubs and restaurants, some of which have now been closed for 420 days. No other country in Europe has closed hospitality for so long. In research I have done today, I can find no other European country where indoor dining in restaurants is closed. Denmark and Finland had roughly the same level of mortality as this State and have had roughly the same level of vaccinations. They managed to open their indoor dining facilities in April and May. Here in Ireland, hotels have been allowed to open up indoor dining since the start of June and the Tánaiste says there is no science behind the decision to discriminate between hotels, restaurants and pubs.

There has been incredible confusion on our streets over the past while. The Government paid hundreds of thousands of euro in marketing to encourage people onto our streets while at the same time, we saw gardaí baton-charge young people off those streets. For weeks, the Government has allowed publicans to serve takeaway pints to thousands of people milling around our streets but has banned the sale of pints to people sitting safely at those publicans' tables outside those pubs. In the latest version, the Government has made millions of euro of grant aid available to pubs and restaurants to sell food and drink in areas where the sale of drink is illegal according to bylaws. It is an absolutely incredible situation.

Hospitality, tourism and aviation have been calling for the introduction of rapid antigen testing since its approval by the EU last December but the Government does not like the word "rapid" and cannot make a decision. We have a situation whereby the minister for making things up as we go along has concocted a solution for the confusion as regards the sale of alcohol and food on streets where it is actually banned. She has called on the gardaí to close their eyes and say nothing. It is an incredible situation. Restaurants and pubs in many parts of the country will now operate at the pleasure of local gardaí and discretion may mean that some restaurants and pubs can function and others cannot. Garda representatives themselves have said that when things go wrong, the blame will be put on their members, who will have to defend their actions. Those representatives have said they are worried that the Garda will be scapegoated for impossible decisions that will have to be made. I have never before seen a Government tie itself up in so many knots of confusion.

This Government has been a fiasco factory when it comes to hospitality. Will it now legislate so that pubs, restaurants and hotels can operate safely under the same science and the same regulations?

In fairness, that is gross hyperbole - a good scriptwriter, impressive in some respects, but not a fair assessment of where we are. First of all, the level of supports from the Government to hospitality has been unprecedented, as it had to be in the context of a global pandemic. Covid-19 has been particularly devastating for the hospitality sector, for travel and for tourism more generally, and that has been true all over the world, not just in Ireland. The virus and hospitality are close and good companions, unfortunately, and that is a reality we cannot escape. That is why it has been so difficult for all concerned.

Gardaí are not baton-charging people all over the country, as the Deputy is-----

I did not say that.

The implication was there in that polemic, but that is far from the case. I invite the Deputy to come to Cork and have a walk down a few streets in Cork, and he will see some great outdoor dining going on. I was in Dublin yesterday and called to a number of venues. People were in a very happy mood, dining outdoors, having a few drinks outdoors, engaging in a friendly way, and thankful, happy and appreciative of the fact they were able to participate in outdoor dining. We can overplay this as well.

That said, any issues that need to be resolved will be resolved through legal instruments. There has been no question but that the opening up in terms of outdoor dining and hospitality has worked, has been working and has been effective. We will continue, particularly with the employment wage subsidy scheme, EWSS, to the end of the year, to do everything we possibly can to make sure the hospitality sector can emerge viable out of the pandemic. That is why, in terms of VAT, for example, in the economic recovery plan we made very specific commitments out to September 2022, and we also made specific commitments in terms of rates relief, which is of value to many people working in the hospitality sector. We are very clear in terms of the recovery plan that for those sectors that were hit hardest by Covid, we will do everything we possibly can to support them throughout the pandemic but also as we emerge from the pandemic, with all the twists and turns that can happen and that can take place. From our perspective, we want to ensure the successful reopening of hospitality. To date, I think, outdoor hospitality has worked relatively well. As I have said, any legal instrument that is required to deal with the situation that emerged in the last 48 hours will be provided.

This issue is not just going to last for two weeks. Even when pubs open for indoor service around 5 July, we will have a situation where many people will not want to go indoors to eat and drink. We will also have a situation where capacity indoors will be less and, therefore, pubs and restaurants will need extra capacity outside. This issue is going to last right through the whole summer.

Then there is the question of insurance, which has not been considered. Many pubs and restaurants have applied for insurance on the basis of their licence but gardaí are saying that the licence does not extend to this outdoor space. We also have a situation where there is a backlog in the delivery of licences from local authorities, and some pubs and restaurants may be operating while waiting for that licence to be delivered. Where stands their insurance? Then we have small businesses which have put out tables and chairs in the hope of being able to make a living at this moment. Do they have insurance? Hope is not good enough in the Four Courts if they are being sued. Will the Taoiseach tell us what instruments will be introduced to solve this and when they will be introduced?

I agree with the Deputy that this is something that has to be dealt with quickly and it will be dealt with quickly. The Minister for Justice will be introducing a measure that will rectify this and regulate it appropriately, and deal with the issues that have arisen, as I have said. This has to be done very quickly.