Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I, along with my Sinn Féin colleagues and others, will oppose the Government's plans for a two-tier reopening, particularly as it is unenforceable and unfair. The idea that those who are unable to be given or access vaccines will not be allowed inside, other than to work and serve, is totally unacceptable. Many of the small business owners I have spoken to have loyal customers who frequent their establishments 52 weeks of the year. They are going to have to tell many of those customers that they cannot come in while others can. People are concerned because it sets a precedent that they simply are not comfortable with.

Most people were okay with the requirements relating to international travel, at least within the EU. We are all used to having to produce documentation when travelling and, in some cases, even having to have vaccines in advance. Requirements for travel also took account of the unvaccinated by allowing for testing and acknowledging people who have recovered from Covid-19.

This legislation is fundamentally different, however.We will have a situation whereby unvaccinated individuals will be serving the vaccinated and whereby people will have to produce medical documentation to eat and drink. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Senators and Teachta Dalaí across the State have come out and rightly criticised the Government’s decision. To quote one Fianna Fáil Senator from County Mayo:

I believe the government have made the wrong decision to proceed with a plan to allow only fully vaccinated people back to indoor hospitality. We are splitting the people & leaving younger people behind, the very cohort that have shouldered the greatest burden to protect others.

That was two weeks ago. How can the same representatives now vote in favour of this legislation? These Senators and Teachta Dalaí seems to think they are in opposition in their constituencies and only in Government when they come to Dublin to vote. We want to see the highest possible take-up rate of vaccinations. So far, we have seen a really good response from the public on this. Much of that is because we have a strong sense of social responsibility. The Minister has broken the social contract here. I ask him to re-examine this. We all want businesses open and for them to thrive. We have put forward to the Minister the way in which we can have a safe reopening. To say that the Opposition is not presenting any solutions in terms of suggestions for infection control, ventilation, testing, social distancing and all those things is wrong. The Minister has lost the dressing room. It is time for him to rethink this and listen to the Opposition and to people who have real concerns. We cannot segregate society. People cannot be segregated across this island.

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