Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I got a call this morning from a businessperson in Tipperary. This person runs a good premises and works hard. There was a customer on the premises last week who this week phoned to say that he had tested positive. The owners of the business are diligent people and went into self-isolation and closed down the business. They have contacted the HSE and have also gone to their GP, who could not get a test for them. They were told to wait for contact from the HSE. They contacted the HSE only to be told that they would have to wait and that they should close their business and keep their children home from school. The system is clearly all over the place. They have now been told by the HSE that contact tracing operates within a 48-hour window but they are clearly outside of that. It is totally unfair to force such a business to close. These people cannot get tested, cannot get information and cannot get anything else. This is happening across the country. People such as those Deputy Berry spoke about are offering help but the Government will not take it. The people have totally lost confidence in the system. These people own a small business and want to live, to pay rates and taxes and to run their business. This is totally unfair. It is disgraceful that they have not been contacted by the HSE. They have been left in limbo and are keeping their kids home from school. They cannot afford this. The contact tracing system is clearly not working. It is a sham and it is shambolic. The Taoiseach should be ashamed of it.

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