Given the Minister's responses to other questions on the decisions the Cabinet has just made, I think he is honestly making it up as he goes along. The fact that he came into the Dáil and said he did not believe there will be a fourth wave is absolutely extraordinary.

What parameters were set down for the National Public Health Emergency Team, NPHET? Generally speaking, the Government would have to advise NPHET that we are part of Europe and have EU law, we know the vaccine passport will be in place on 19 July and we do not believe in discrimination. Those would be two fairly large pillars the Government would put in front of NPHET and say that any advice should be between those two pillars. Was that done?

When was the mechanism commenced for a discriminatory process to be put in place whereby vaccinated people will have a passport to get into hospitality? I have tabled parliamentary questions in this regard. In fact, I asked the Taoiseach on the floor of this House in December what plans were in place for that and it did not seem like there was an iota. How far advanced is that?

I thank the Deputy. His time is up.

Do not tell me the Government is only starting now. Presumably-----

The time is up.

Deputy Kelly should be careful in terms of putting words in people's mouths. I did not say that I did not think there would be a fourth wave. I said that I had faith in our ability as a country to avoid the more-----

You said you did not believe in it.

Please, allow the Minister to answer without interruption.

I said I did not believe we would end up in the most pessimistic scenario, with something in the order of 1,685 people in ICU.

On the second issue, I will explain to Deputy McGrath and others why I said to be careful in saying it is decided and that we know exactly the response to the NPHET advice yesterday. To answer Deputy Kelly's question, in truth, Government made a policy decision in May that it would not operate a discriminatory system with regard to vaccines. That was a policy decision based on much detailed analysis. NPHET raised concern with the Government last night because of the Delta variant and recommended that we follow such an approach. What the Government has said in response-----

It is a discriminatory approach.

It is complete discrimination against young people.

The time is up.

This is complete discrimination.

If I can finish the point, the Government said in response that we will not ignore what NPHET is saying. We will heed the information and come up with a plan, which will make sure we avoid getting into that most pessimistic scenario.

The time is up.

I ask the Ceann Comhairle to allow me to conclude. We said that, rather than making a decision late at night on how exactly this would be implemented, because it is a change of policy and approach, it would be far better to talk to other Oireachtas Members and relevant sectors to see how we can implement the sorts of recommendations they are making in a way that is not discriminatory against younger people and will provide a range of different alternatives. That will be done before 19 July.

That is impossible.

We cannot have a detailed conversation about this. We have procedures to follow.