Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In an off-the-cuff remark on Tuesday, the Tánaiste cancelled first communions and confirmations. The Chief Medical Officer, CMO, and NPHET have said they did not cancel them. This is no way to treat people. One cannot be surprised by everything. A few days before confirmations and first communions were due to happen in Ringsend, they were cancelled. That makes no sense whatsoever. These are a significant days for children and their parents. They are very expensive days and they are days for families. People can get married and celebrate that. Up to 50 people can gather in a church. People can go to the cinema. The children who were due to have their first communion or confirmation have been in class together every day for months, yet first communions and confirmations are banned in Ringsend. This has all gone too far and young people are paying the price. Will the Tánaiste see sense and allow communions and confirmations to go ahead?

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