On a point of order, a comment was made earlier by a Senator that Covid certificates do not prevent people from getting the virus. Comments like that diminish public confidence and confuse people. It is important to say that Covid certificates are there to protect people from going into environments. No politician in this House or the Lower House has ever made a comment like that. It is important to clarify.

Technically, on the Order of Business when you are bringing up a point of order, it should be on the rules of the House rather than on a point of information.

I hope that when comments like that are made, the Cathaoirleach would intervene and clarify for the public who are listening.

That is clearly not my job. My job is not to tell people what to say on the Order of Business.

It is blatantly untrue. People listen to this and they trust what is said in the House.

If people are raising issues, you can ask - and I am going to circulate it again - to intervene with a Senator who is making the statement at the time-----

I was and then you told me to stay quiet.

No, I did not say to you to stay quiet.

Well you did not say to stay quiet, but the next Senator was up to speak.

You can intervene when a Member is making a statement. At the end of the debate, when you are bringing up a point of order, it must relate to a ruling of the Chair on an issue or a procedure in the House. I will circulate that note again, along with a note on the other issue. There is an opportunity. It is not my role to tell people what is or is not appropriate in what they are saying.

It is dangerous commentary.

It is free speech.

Senator, there is an opportunity to intervene.

It is rubbish; that is what it is.

Senator, we are not reopening debates, but there is an opportunity to intervene while the person is making the statement, just so you know.

I did, and then you went to someone else.

The Senator did not ask. He has to ask. There is a Standing Order. I will send the Senator a copy of the Standing Order. For the benefit of everybody, if someone is saying something, Members have an opportunity to ask to intervene. If the speaker does not wish them to intervene or does not allow them, then that is the rule of the House.

I call the acting Leader to outline a response to the Order of Business.