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

Earlier today, the Taoiseach mentioned the closing down of pubs and that he felt he was right to do so. However, 60% of the cases now being diagnosed are of the UK variant. Last year, I told the House more than once that the virus was not growing in the back yard of pubs and rather that it was coming in on airlines. The Government did nothing about it. The virus did not walk across the Irish Sea. We are an island country. I have to say that people are dead and some people will never again be the same after having the virus. Special needs schools are closed. Is the Government's belated attempt to do something about the virus coming into this country a charade or only an attempt to cover up for not doing what it should have done all along? It is very easy to close down pubs. It is very easy to close down the country and that is what the Government has done. It was not the virus that did it.

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