Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I said that I acknowledge the supports. I am referring to the strategy. The Minister blamed the pandemic but it is the Government's reaction to it and the prolonged lockdown. The Government had no roadmap last night either. Entire swathes of our community and society were never even mentioned in the press conference last night or since. Look at the whole arts industry and what is involved there. The impact both economically and socially on our people is devastating and will be unquantifiable for decades to come. That is why I said there are other models of dealing with it. We have to live with Covid-19 and open up and let our people work. Let them have hope of work. They have been closed now for more than 12 months and are struggling to get back with no mercy from the banks.

Will the Minister bring this to Europe and ask for forbearance for Ireland? I know the Minister has a role in the Eurogroup over all the different countries. We need to be able to offer hope to our people and allow them back to work to recover some semblance of the businesses they had. Is there another agenda behind this? Does the Minister want to break them all and leave them impoverished and broke forever? Other countries have exited lockdown and allowed people to work. Our construction industry is closed. Everything is closed.

See this speech in context