Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The sooner we can repeal that legislation, the better, in my view. If the Deputy had told me two years ago that we would live in a country where it was illegal to leave or enter the State for non-essential reasons, that one could not have visitors to one's house or could not meet outside with more than 15 people, I would have thought he was absolutely bonkers. What has happened in the past year or two is unprecedented. We overuse that term but what has happened in the past year really is unprecedented. We want to go to a new normal and build back better, as people say, but one thing I definitely do not want to keep on the Statute Book for any longer than is necessary is this draconian legislation. Unfortunately, it is still necessary. We are not out of the woods yet and that is why we will have to extend it. There will be proper debate on that in the Dáil and I encourage Deputies to speak freely on this issue. They should not feel that they are against public health or something if they raise these concerns. Civil liberties matter. Concerns about civil liberties have almost disappeared in the past year or so and that bothers me.