Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want to begin by thanking my colleagues in the Independent Group for giving me the time to speak on this motion, especially those who do not agree with my views but who think that debate is important. Most of us should, as democrats, believe that debate is important. This needs to be debated.

Giving Deputies 50 seconds each to debate what is the most fundamental set of restrictions to rights in this State in its history is not democracy. I agree with the points made by Deputy O'Donnell. I disagree with him to the extent that until the questions he asked are answered – I do not expect that the Minister will answer them – we should not roll over further powers. I agree very much with the points he raised and the questions he posed.

We need to debate this motion. If we do not debate it in the Chamber, where is it to be debated? Is it to be debated on social media, where people are attacking each other? Is it to be debated outside the gates of Leinster House by violent groups attacking each other? I want to be abundantly clear. I abhor violence, in particular political violence, because it brings people down a cul-de-sac of destruction. However, if the Government does not allow us time to debate this motion in the House, it will be debated elsewhere. I do not condone or sympathise with that point, I am simply making it.

I grew up in a house with elderly parents. They were of a generation which believed that it was fantastic that we had the right to determine our own affairs and had a Dáil that could determine its affairs. Today represents for me the most fundamental failing of that State in its history. The State has a duty to protect the health and lives of its citizens, but it equally has a duty to allow people to go about their lives and develop systems to keep them safe while they do so.

The State has singularly failed to do that, and to take any measures, learn anything from the nursing homes and look at the recommendations of the Covid committee. Nineteen Deputies from every single group in the House sat and arrived at a consensus document with recommendations, none of which have been debated or implemented. What is the point in parliamentary democracy? I know there are groups in this State that seek to undermine democracy and parliamentary debate. This failure to debate things adequately feeds into their agenda. I ask the Minister to consider the approach he has taken in this motion and to allow for debate before he rams votes through and gives Ministers another seven months to bring in incredibly restrictive measures that are entirely disproportionate and that absolve the State of its failures rather than provide it with any incentive to do something.

I wish to return to one of Deputy Mattie McGrath's points. I do not know whether the Minister is aware of one measure in the motion but he must be because he signed it. Priests will be committing a criminal offence if they open the doors of their churches for mass. I know that lots of priests do not want to say mass and do not believe it is appropriate. That is their prerogative. I am not a mass goer, but I know how important it is in the community I represent for people to go to mass or to a church or mosque. The Government is denying them that. Is the Government is going to send gardaí after priests who decide to say mass? If the Government is thinking of that, I have one word to say, "Don't".

My time is up. I thank the Minister. I have not had time to look at the substance of any of what is proposed, the failings of our testing and tracing system and the inevitable failing of the PCR testing system. It may be the best test available, but it is inadequate. I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for the latitude she has afforded me.

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