Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

We have had a very serious announcement about public health restrictions. I think it is crazy that the matter is not being debated this week in the House so that it can be explained.

I wish to register the ongoing opposition of Solidarity-People Before Profit to the changed speaking arrangements which were, in our view, deliberately designed to minimise the voice of the smaller parties. We will continue to oppose those changed speaking arrangements. I point out that trying to gag and silence some voices in the House is not the way for the Government to bring everybody with it. Last week, we saw an example of what that will mean when the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, was not present for the contributions of the lead spokespeople of approximately five of the groupings in this House. That is unprecedented.

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