Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The degree of absolute power contained in these regulations and similar enabling legislation is of concern to me. I am happy to state that I do not think the Minister has been corrupted by the power but I think he has become befuddled by the broad powers he has. I say that with no degree of pleasure.

I objected to this legislation being put in place from the outset. I thought there was a propensity for it to be abused, and it was. No sooner was it announced than the number of countries subject to mandatory hotel quarantining was doubled and trebled. It was an exciting thing to face down the Italian ambassador on television, but that has a price. We had a degree of European solidarity in the face of this. It has been a long time since I had a green passport. I am proud that I am a citizen of the European Union, as well as of Ireland. I do not see a contradiction between the two but the Minister increasingly drives a wedge between the two. That is a very damaging thing. To go back to the countries put on the list, Israel was maintained on the list on the basis of on outdated data. When that was challenged in court, the case was settled and Israel was immediately taken off the list.

I do not think this degree of power without checks and balances is healthy in a democracy, certainly not now as the situation improves. I do not think we needed it then and I do not think we need it now. I recognise the danger posed by variants but I do not understand how colleagues in this House who called for mandatory hotel quarantine for people coming from Britain think people coming from Britain to Northern Ireland and then from Northern Ireland to here do not pose a problem, but people coming here directly from Britain do. Similarly, people travelling from Brazil or any other country to Northern Ireland and then to here pose the same problem as people travelling here directly, but we do not take any account of that. It is about being seen to be doing something rather than doing anything. Of course, we are not doing what we could do, which is to test everybody coming in to this State at every point of entry using antigen testing.

I did not have my photo taken with members of IALPA, unlike many Members of this House. Also unlike many Members of this House, I will not vote to continue the measures IALPA is protesting against either. I am concerned that Alan Brereton of IALPA said he met with the Minister, who told him the European Union is ruling out antigen testing. In fact, the proposal for a digital green certificate expressly includes measures around antigen testing. Media reports of the deal struck between the Council and the Parliament include antigen testing. We, for some dogmatic reason, have set our face against it.

My time is up. I opposed this at the start and I oppose it now. I am cognisant of the risks posed by variants but I do not think this is the way to combat it and absolute power is never healthy in a democracy.

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