Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Constitution is meant to be a sacred document and we are meant to be the custodians of it. The Government, by its actions on the advice of NPHET, is destroying the pub, dance and arts industries and is treading on the Constitution. I saw a report last night on the horribly-named wet pubs - I do not know who gave them that name.

During the last lockdown, many such pubs made great efforts to have food prepared in their pubs or to have food brought in. This was done with guidance from the HSE and in line with the hazard analysis and critical control point, HAACP, system. They have now been summarily dismissed and told that they cannot operate under level 3. The Government is changing the goalposts all of the time. I want the Taoiseach to get real and to tell us what he has against the pubs. What does he have against artists and dancing schools? What he is doing is totally illogical and it will fail. The Taoiseach is the only person around here who needs a dose of reality.

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