I want to talk about the fascists who were outside the gates yesterday. We need to talk about them and what they are doing. A party colleague of mine saw a Government Deputy leave the building yesterday and be followed by some of these people and subjected to the most horrendous personal abuse. There is a pattern to what is happening. There has been a tendency among all of us to ignore these people in the hope that such is the best way to deal with them. It absolutely is not. The yellow vest movement, in particular, is far right, anti-mask, anti-science, anti-vaccination, anti-immigrant and dangerous. It is incumbent on us all to unite on this issue. We can differ on lots of things but we must be in agreement that these people are a danger to democratic politics in this country.

Last weekend, I put a semi-humorous post on Facebook making clear how ludicrous the anti-mask movement is. It was a very successful post which has been shared some 300 times. What intrigued me was that within half an hour, I had received 132 very derogatory and nasty comments about it. I am used to that type of feedback from my time on the Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution. I always thought that the Chairman of that committee, former Senator Catherine Noone, had the hardest time, with absolutely appalling abuse meted out to her. The response to my post tells me that these people are organised. Anybody who saw the baying mob yesterday will know that those involved have no place in democratic politics. The one lesson from history that we should all recognise is that one does not ignore fascists; one confronts them. We need to take these people on and make a stand for democratic politics. I want a debate on this issue. We can disagree on policy as much as we want to, but let us all unite against these bigots.

I fully support Senator Gavan and others in their comments regarding the protestors who are carrying on in such an appalling way. It drives me mad when I see the Tricolour being flown by people who are doing everything to destroy all that it stands for. The question of how we take them on is one thing but what is certain is that we must be outspoken against them. Anybody who has spoken to older people and others affected by Covid or watched the young man on the news last week who is on two crutches and trying to get back to health must wonder where these protestors are coming from morally. Their actions are shocking and outrageous. I appeal to those among them who may feel a little uncomfortable but have been pressurised to go on the marches to step away from what is happening. The people involved must be confronted and they must be stopped. I do not want violence on the street. That is not what I am talking about. We in this Parliament, both Seanad and Dáil, and our leaders, must speak out against what these people are doing.

I want to speak briefly about the hotel and restaurant sector. It is in absolute chaos as a result of the economic wreckage that has taken place in recent months. I know that the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht are all working on a budget proposal to assist the sector. Some 100,000 jobs have been lost and another 100,000 are under threat. We must step up to the mark and do something for this sector. I accept that it will not be easy but we must do something. Perhaps hotels will have to close for a while but the fear is that if this happens, they will not reopen. In practical terms, outdoor catering in Ireland does not work. All we can do for now is pray for an Indian summer. I am sure I have everybody in the House on my side in asking the Leader to convey to the Government an appeal to do everything it can for the sector.