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

I respect the problem that the Taoiseach and the Government has. The problem though is we are not getting the figures down and if that is to continue, the Government will have to be sensible and allow sectors of the community to open and to work. The Government must trust people. People working on farm buildings can keep away from each other, as can people working on building a rural one-off house or a small estate.

Other groups, such as small traders and shopkeepers, are also under severe pressure from multinational companies trading online. They will never be able to open up if this thing goes too far, and I am afraid that it is. Let us take hairdressers as an example. When they were allowed to open, they were very careful to just allow one person in at a time. We must be sensible and trust people to work. If this continues, I do not know who or what is going to pay for it. Are we going to lose all our workers to England?

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