Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Ar an gcéad dul síos, I want to say that we in the Rural Independent Group have supported each and every measure we have been asked to take, as have the people throughout Ireland. They have put their shoulder to the wheel and accepted anything that was put to them in the hope of defeating and destroying the virus and of flattening the curve. We succeeded in that. As parliamentarians, we did the same thing every time we were asked but we have now gone too far. A lot of nonsense has grown into it.

I appeal for common sense and logic this afternoon. I ask the Government to remove the needless administrative burdens being placed on good businesses up and down the country. We are asking for fair play and common sense. We ask that businesses be allowed to trade safely without unnecessary and illogical administrative burdens that will do nothing to limit the spread of Covid-19. We simply ask that, under section 5(5) of the Health Act 1947, the Government annul and repeal SI 326 of 2020, which relates to the hospitality industry and sporting events and which came into effect just last week, on 3 September.

Over recent days, we have heard from an industry that is bewildered at the regulations which have been signed into law. These have been introduced without any consultation with the industry and without any debate in this House. In most cases they are, quite simply, unworkable. They are decimating the hospitality and tourism industries, in which 100,000 jobs have already been lost this year. There is a risk of a further 100,000 job losses in the coming weeks if regulations are not changed. During the last Topical Issue debate, we heard five Deputies pleading with the Government with regard to the aviation industry.

The regulations included in SI 326 of 2020 have resulted in hotels effectively working under lockdown conditions. There are blatant contradictions contained within the regulations. For instance, a hotel can hold a wedding reception for up to 50 people but may only host a party of six for any other important family event such as a christening, a birthday or, sadly, a bereavement. This is decimating their businesses. It is bizarre, illogical, devastating to the industry and dangerous for the very spirit of our community way of life. The hotel industry has proven itself able to host weddings of 50 people without incident so where is the logic in saying that hotels cannot host a funeral party, christening, communion celebration or birthday party for up to 50 people? There is no logic in it.

The Irish Hotels Federation is pleading with the Government to amend these regulations. Over recent days, the Government has gone to great lengths to downplay the severity of these regulations. It has actually attempted to deny what is included within them. With regard to bistro pubs, contrary to what the Minister has said on "Morning Ireland", the Taoiseach and others have said that regulation 13(1)(c) requires "a record of the substantial meal or meals ordered [...] by each member of a party of persons and each sole person permitted [...] access to the premises". It is clear. I have the statutory instrument here in front of me. The Minister cannot deny what is printed in black and white. Such records must be kept on file for a period of 28 days.

It is there in black and white. This is what is required, despite the Government's best efforts to say otherwise. There is no logical reason that keeping a record of what everyone on a premises orders should be required. It is nonsense. These people are busy enough doing their own things without this messing, as I call it.

This is even less relevant now that the Government has announced that our traditional pubs will be reopened on 21 September. It is like saying "live horse and you will get grass". It is very dangerous ground. The publicans have had two false dawns. They have been so quiet despite getting kicked up and down the road. This morning I heard someone from NPHET saying he was concerned. I know full well that were NPHET to tell the Minister and the Taoiseach that it does not want the pubs to open, the Government would not open them. That would be another breach of trust about which I am very concerned. We will have a situation in law whereby wet pubs can welcome their customers back at long last subject to certain regulations, I emphasise they are happy to work within the regulations, but bistro pubs will have to serve a substantial meal to each customer, take a record of the meal ordered by every customer that enters the premises and keep that for 28 days. Kindergarten children would not come up with this, let alone national school children. In Naíonra Chaisleáin Nua or a playschool they would not come up with this kind of poppycock. It is patent nonsense. This is absolutely a case of losing focus. It is imposing yet another burden on an industry that is struggling to hold on after operating at reduced or no capacity for a prolonged period of time. Keeping records of what every person who enters their premises has ordered for a period of 28 days will in no way help to fight against Covid-19. Limiting funeral gatherings to six people but allowing 50 at a wedding is utterly nonsensical. It only serves to confuse and frustrate the public who cannot see the logic of it and takes the focus away from the important steps of hand and respiratory hygiene that we had to fight against Covid. The washing of hands, respiratory hygiene and keeping clean has all been lost now.

The Government and all of its medical experts have never gone into the territory of telling people to take vitamins. There are good vitamins which people can get in health food shops to make them strong and help them fight these coronaviruses. There is something very sinister about this. The Government never went near it. No one would touch that.

During a meeting of the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response two weeks ago, I asked about the €9 meal. The Minister was there later on that day, or he was in a different room. NPHET advised me that it did not seek the requirements for the €9 meal. Who did? How can the Government take this one step further by requiring pubs to record what the substantial meal was and keeping that for a 28-day period? It is farcical, bizarre and unwarranted. I tell the Minister that this is GUBU territory. I hope that he remembers GUBU; I certainly do.

These regulations also include restrictions on sporting events which is a crying shame. These are even more bizarre. We can have 15 people attend outdoor training but no more than six people in a gym, in a rince scoile, or anywhere we want to have the arts or anything else. It is devastating. When it comes to matches though, our games which are the very essence of our being Irish, our GAA and all of the different games including soccer and all the sports one can name, then only those whose presence is necessary are allowed to attend. This includes the players, management etc. but no spectators except parents of underage kids who are playing and only one of them, at that. At a time when NPHET has asked us to focus on outdoor gatherings rather than indoor ones, it makes no sense that stadiums across the country, such as the famed Semple Stadium in County Tipperary and others my colleagues will mention, as well as local GAA pitches capable of hosting thousands and in some case tens of thousands, cannot have any spectators at our national games. It is truly uafásach, it is bizarre. These games are part of our culture and we will soon have a position where in law supporters can go to a pub to watch the match if it streamed online but cannot stand in the GAA ground to watch it. It is utterly nonsensical. There is simply no logic here and all that this is doing is undermining the efforts being made by everybody to fight against Covid-19.

We all understand the need to be cautious and to have some restrictions on large gatherings but they must be founded in logic and common sense. The restrictions contained in this statutory instrument are simply not logical. They are devastating to life, particularly in rural Ireland where GAA games are the essence of our communities. We are today calling on the Government to admit that it got this wrong. The man that never made a mistake never made anything. The Government should revoke the statutory instrument and should refocus on supporting and fully reopening an industry in a safe but logical manner. Let us stop the nonsense and refocus on the important things that matter, that is, the fight to keep everyone safe and stop working against an entire industry and an entire way of life. That is what the Government is doing; it is going against the people. Let us sit down with the industry, the sporting organisations, all of the different arts people, the musicians and everybody else in a safe manner and stop penalising an entire industry for the failures of others because that is what this is.

Just yesterday Dr. David Nabarro, a special envoy from the Director General of the WHO, said that we need to learn to live with this. Of course we do. We need to move on and save our economy and our mental health. If we are learning to live with it, we have to do so in a way that respects the important aspects of our lives, our culture, our heritage, our games and the very essence of our community and family celebrations. These things are part of the fabric of society. They are what is important in life and what has been shut down and away from people up to now. We cannot accept that the whole country can learn to live with it while throwing these important aspects of our lives and our values to one side. They are a part of who we are and they have to be respected. I appeal to the Minister to do that. I call on Members of Sinn Féin and the Labour Party, who said this legislation was daft, bonkers and railed against it all weekend, as did Members from the Minister's own party including Deputy MacSharry, to come in here-----

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