Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the point Deputy McGrath has made. Again, the difficulty with lockdowns is that they are crude and blunt instruments designed to reduce congregation and people gathering. Recommendations come from NPHET on the variety of measures that are required. We try to be as judicious, effective and compassionate as we can.

One can always go through each individual setting. If we look at it in isolation or from the perspective of that setting, one can make an argument. However, it is the cumulative impact of all these settings that gives rise to the problem. The objective is to reduce congregation and people gathering and to keep people as close to the 5 km limit as possible.

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