Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The publicans, their families and their customers have been let down. They have actually been misled. When Deputy Varadkar was Taoiseach, he announced that he wanted the pubs to reopen from next Monday. He said it again last week in this House and again this week in his role as Tánaiste. Now we have a new Taoiseach and he has been a failure to the publicans. Why were they not told earlier? Why have they been forced into this situation after having bought and paid for their stock and refitted their pubs at enormous expense? They have had mental health issues as well. They were looking forward to seeing their customers and reopening carefully, looking after staff, families and customers alike. This is unbelievable. A three-card trick has been played on them. If the Government is serious about the pandemic, why did the Tánaiste, when he was Taoiseach, personally refuse to close the ports and airports and why does he still do so? It sticks in the craw to see tourists coming in while publicans cannot open their businesses. These are many valuable businesses. They pay tax, rates, VAT and insurance, pay for light, heat and everything else and support all local initiatives. Their mental health is now deteriorating. This is a real hammer blow. It is a real let-down. The publicans have been deceived.

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