Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am aghast that the Minister will not remove the words by accepting the amendment. Many Government backbenchers are in the Chamber talking about supporting publicans but they will be voting against them. There is no roadmap or legislation to allow the pubs to open. There is no green light. I spoke at the meeting on Monday with NPHET, which Deputy Howlin and the Taoiseach also attended, and we were given no idea of when pubs might open. We were told it could be next March. This is the problem. The Government is dangling a string in front of publicans, but as well as that, it is tying two hands behind their backs and blindfolding one eye. It is silly. It is semantics in the extreme that the Minister, with her officials and draftspeople, will not explain the provision. We have no concept of the range of the phrase "or otherwise". We cannot get clarity on that and I am only a layperson, not a barrister or solicitor.

"Or otherwise" could mean anything. The Minister cannot tell us that it could not because it could. The Minister could tell me to sit down or otherwise. This is pedantic and childish. I do not mean the Minister personally. It is semantics. I heard a lady from An Garda Síochána address it. They do not have the clarity. They are going one step forward then two steps backwards. It needs to be clear. With regard to sending gardaí in to inspect the pubs which are giving this €9 meal, NPHET told me last week that it never dreamed up this idea of a €9 meal. I got an email this morning about two gardaí visiting a premises looking at people's plates to see if the pork chop, pizza or burger was valued at €9. I would not know. I would know after eating it what it was worth but gardaí are not qualified to know whether what is on a plate is worth €9, €6.50 or €4.50. It is ridiculous and childish. We rushed it through at first and we all supported it. We have time for cool reflection and management of it. It is not fair or equitable and there is no limit to "or otherwise".

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