Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

When I was a member of the Oireachtas Special Committee on Covid-19 Response at the beginning of the Covid crisis, it was the only Oireachtas committee operating at the time. I was lucky enough to represent the Rural Independent Group on it. From the word go, I called for both PCR and antigen testing. Every time I called for it, the Tánaiste, who was Taoiseach at the time, and other Ministers were against it. Everybody was against something that eventually proved to be a help. Nothing is ever 100% but certainly antigen testing would help get this country up and running again.

I look at the hospitality sector and the way it has been treated so shoddily by the Government, not only in the past week but for over 400 days during which most businesses in the sector have had their doors shut. One could nearly predict the announcement made this week. It could have been made somewhat sooner because some businesses were painted and made ready with staff organised and even some food or drink products purchased. To have that pulled from under them was a disaster. To add insult to injury, the Government told them that when the restaurant or pub opened, staff would have to stand at the door and stop people from coming in unless they are vaccinated. For the love of God, where is the Government coming up with such things? As somebody said, if it was a sketch from "Killinaskuddy", it would be a great laugh but it is not a laughing matter. It is a very serious matter. People's livelihoods are being ruined.

We have a situation where Mary and John want to go for a drink but their two children are not vaccinated so they would be left outside the door. Is that what the Government expects? Is this how it thinks this will work? Alternatively, we have a situation where 18-year-olds working in a bar cannot be vaccinated, through no fault of his or her own. The Government may have announced today that this group can be vaccinated but those aged over 60 cannot even get a second vaccination, so never mind seeing the 18-year-olds. It is a nice announcement and sounds good. A worker in a bar who may not be vaccinated can serve drink to vaccinated people but if he or she sits down for a drink at 11 p.m. when the pub is closed, he or she could be arrested or the publican could be charged with allowing him or her to be inside the premises. It is insane. It is not workable and no publican will work it. My advice to Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael politicians is not to call on publicans and the restaurant sector because they will run them out the door and chase them down the road for the way they treated them. They are absolutely livid and rightly so.

The second issue I wish to raise concerns the over 60s. Some of this group have not received their second vaccination. They are asking and calling me and I will always stand up for people who want to get vaccinated. That is their choice with which I am in full agreement. Why has this not happened?

I spoke about supports for nursing homes in the Dáil yesterday. It is incredible that the Government is saying we no longer need supports for nursing homes and grants for material or equipment to help save people from getting Covid in nursing homes because we are moving on but, at the same time, we cannot open the hospitality sector because we are not moving on. What is wrong? These are two conflicting messages. The Government should come out with one clear message. The Tánaiste is saying no confirmations or first holy communions can take place but NPHET says it never advised that. What is going on?

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