Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I also support that principle for a number of reasons. First, I acknowledge that public health officials are working under incredible strain and stress and are flat out in terms of dealing with all of the implications of a public health crisis of this kind, and a potential pandemic.

It would be useful if a mechanism could be found within the existing technical or constitutional framework to have an Oireachtas committee, for a number of reasons. The psychology of a public health scare is at times as important as the scare itself. We have spoken to Deputies on our side in our parliamentary party who have already experienced cases in their constituencies. Basically, the phone explodes. That is how one Deputy articulated it. There is much concern and there are many queries for public representatives. If coherence is to emerge from the political system, to help the Government and public health officials, in particular, it would make sense to have a mechanism that would allow Deputies and other Members of the Oireachtas to engage, keep people making decisions and have an exchange of views that would be helpful rather than undermine the current efforts.

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