Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

That is very good news. Currently, Irish people are criminalised for leaving the country. That is not unique in Europe, but I would expect it will be unique in Europe as the summer rolls on and plans are being put in place for people to travel safely. Last year, people in Ireland believed they were prevented from leaving the country by guidelines, but they were not. Social welfare recipients particularly were penalised. There was a restriction to the right of freedom of movement and that restriction was not pursuant to the law as is required by European law, and so it failed at the first hurdle without ever looking at the proportionality of the matter.

Across Europe, rights can be restricted on the basis of public health, but those restrictions have to be proportionate and necessary. In Ireland, churches and all religious denominations are closed. This morning, the Supreme Court in Scotland said it was contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights as it was disproportionate to close the churches. If it is disproportionate in Scotland, it is disproportionate in Ireland because we are bound by the same convention. If Ireland is the only country in Europe where churches are closed, if we are the only country in Europe that is stopping people exercising freedom of movement, if we are the only country in Europe with half of our shops closed and the only country in Europe effectively locking people into their homes, then I suggest it is disproportionate.

The Taoiseach of this State said on radio in response to a question that we live in a liberal democracy. Either he does not know what a liberal democracy is or the man is deluded. I suspect it is the latter. He promised that he would govern as a republican when he was elected Taoiseach. There are many republican traditions, one of which is the tradition of Oliver Cromwell. It is in that republican tradition he and the Government are currently governing. Coming from Drogheda, the Minister of State, will be quite well aware of what the republican tradition of Oliver Cromwell is all about.

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