Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I also commend Deputy Howlin on bringing this amendment to the House and the language should be taken out of the Bill. I have listened to the debate involving many Deputies in the House today who have made great contributions. I also listened to Deputy Bruton, who could sum it all up in two or three minutes by telling us what he thinks will happen.

We must have a reality check for everybody who has voted for the legislation as it is. I hope the country is watching and looking at the people who voted, by 110 votes to ten, to carry the legislation through Second Stage as it is. I commend the likes of Deputy Howlin, the rural Independents, and all the others who came here to amend the legislation to ensure it is correct and proper. We are rushing through legislation to allow more powers for gardaí, but currently the same gardaí are telling us they cannot do their job properly because they spend most of their day sitting down trying to do paperwork. If there is to be legislation giving extra powers to gardaí, we must provide extra resources.

This Government has closed rural Ireland while leaving large cities and towns open. It has demonstrated no respect for rural Ireland or any of its businesses. This is not just about the pubs. We all speak about social distancing of 2 m here and 2 m there, which is fine, and bus capacity has been reduced to 50%. People have been put into school with 2 m of social distance where possible, although otherwise people may sit 1 m away. People need to keep 2 m away on a bus. Much legislation should be passed but instead the Government is rushing through this legislation.

We should make people responsible for the flooding that happened in the past couple of weeks because of the negligence of the Office of Public Works and county councils. They were negligent by not putting in the proper resources to dredge or drain rivers, clear gullies and provide natural maintenance. This is what the emergency legislation should be about. The House should unanimously support such action. Instead, everybody in the House, except rural Independents and others, is voting to pass this legislation. We are saying this is not right.

Rural pubs have been closed and people from rural communities have been sent into cities and large towns, which are overpopulated areas, if they want a sociable drink. That drink may be alcoholic, a mineral or even a cup of tea. The Government is forcing people into these overpopulated areas. All it can come up with is extra legislation for the Garda, which is currently under-resourced. The Government wanted to include a provision for gardaí to enter premises to stop the potential spread of Covid-19 or for other reasons. Get it right if emergency legislation is to be introduced.

Yesterday we had six hours to debate this Bill. The legislation was published on the Friday night, but on our first day of this Dáil session, the Government wanted to rush through this legislation. It seems the Government wants to rush through everything now, including a provision to allow gardaí to enter houses. The Government had to row back on that because of the rush. By voting for the legislation as it is, Members are giving power to the Minister to make regulations by himself or herself without coming to the Oireachtas or debating such matters. That is wrong.

Legislation to be put in place should be debated properly and given adequate time for such debate. Everything the Government is doing is to rush legislation. It is an absolute disgrace that something like this is being rushed when our schoolchildren cannot even get to school on a bus because the Government will not give proper funding. People are entitled to get on a bus, but in rural areas larger buses are not allowed because roads are not wide enough. This is because we must protect the birds before we protect our people.

The Government must wake up. Legislation must be brought forward for more important issues, including getting our people to school. Legislation must be adequate before coming before the House. The Government should not give all the power to one person who can make regulations, as we will see when this Bill goes through. It will be possible for a Minister to make a regulation so gardaí can enter a house. This is what we are here for today. We are seeking to protect people by getting legislation right. The Government should take its time, get it right and listen to people who are trying to ensure these amendments are correct and proper.

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