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

The Deputy knows that New Zealand is not Ireland. Our geographical location, in my view, makes zero Covid not credible and very difficult to implement. We are not in a position to seal the Border, nor would we want to.

Second, we have historically a very close relationship with Great Britain. Families travel to and fro. Surely they are not going to seal that border. We are part of the EU and an outward economy and society. I do not know if the Deputy picked up on some of the columns written by our own journalists in Europe. Naomi O'Leary wrote a good one for The Irish Timesjust prior to the weekend on the Irish living in Europe and working for the State or Irish companies. Are they ever to come home again? The Deputy's zero-Covid strategy would have them marooned for a long time to come.

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