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

It is also in cities. In Galway and Cork, for example, there was a significant increase at a given period as well as in rural areas. The evidence, unfortunately, is there for that.

The bottom line is that we could have taken a decision to open the pubs, but we would have done it clearly in the knowledge that we would have been contributing to an exponential rise in numbers fairly quickly. That is the issue, basically. Unfortunately, that is the issue. It is a genuine desire to try to save lives. People should not try to play politics to the degree that they are playing politics with it.

See this speech in context