Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We have our system, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

I wish to point out that there was a very good decision made by past Governments and by An Garda Síochána and their representative associations, which was that the rank and file Garda members would not be armed. That decision and our gardaí have served our country well, having followed up on that decision. The reason I bring that to the attention of the Dáil is that when it comes to giving draconian powers to the Garda that it is not actually looking for, I trust and rely on An Garda Síochána to do what it did earlier in this pandemic and to do its job in a proper way. It will have roadblocks, they question people and do their job properly. That served us well in the past and I would like to think that it will serve us well in the future.

I am totally against bringing in fines and penalties. Can one imagine bringing a person before a court today and telling that person to pay €500, €1,000 or €2,000 of a fine. People cannot pay their ESB bill or fill their oil tank. There is no employment. People are struggling. I ask the Government to desist from trying to impose tyranny on the people.

See this speech in context