Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I speak in support of this amendment, but it is a damn bad day when we have to introduce an amendment like this and support it. I understand where the proposers of this amendment are coming from and I said that I would support it. I hope, however, that we never do this again and that it will not go any further. I reiterate that I understand where Deputy Boyd Barrett and the other proposers are coming from with this amendment, but, to be quite honest, I cannot see the sense in what we are doing at all regarding this Bill. I state that because the proposers of this amendment do not want such legislation to ever be contemplated again after this three-month period.

With the way this Dáil has gone, I do not think that we can rule out anything. We talked about solidarity for the last 18 months and about standing together. Earlier today, I saw youngsters gathering down at the bridge. They are now being left behind. We must clarify a few things and I would like the Minister to do so. Dr. Holohan spoke today about youngsters not being able to go into pubs. Are we afraid of the vaccine, or is there something we have to be told? I refer to the people inside pubs being vaccinated. Time and time again, right throughout this last year, we were told that youngsters were able to go to school and that there was no problem with that. Now, however, we are saying that they should not go into the pubs. We need clarification in this regard. What agenda is going on that sees the Minister present one proposal and then somebody else chops him off at the knees in the media that evening? I do not doubt that the Minister is doing his best or thinks that he is. We need some sort of clarification in this regard. I just cannot understand why antigen and PCR testing is not being undertaken in this regard. I could go across the Border tomorrow and go into a restaurant anywhere. I could fly to England. In this country, however, those people over 18 years of age who have not been vaccinated will not be able go inside particular establishments with their families.

I have one question that requires an answer. I am going to be relatively brief. There is no point in us standing up here all night, every single one of us, going through amendment after amendment. The first thing the Minister might do is to be honest with the politicians in opposition and indicate whether he is going to accept any of the amendments. There must be clarity in that regard. There is no point in us going around in circles all night when we do not know. The Minister must also come clean regarding everyone during the last year, including himself and Dr. Holohan, having told these kids that it was perfectly fine and mighty for them to go to school. It worked, and I do not dispute that whatsoever. This evening, though, the equivalent of a Scud missile was thrown in even before this debate started. I refer to it having been stated that parents, even though they are vaccinated, should not bring their kids to pubs. The other sickening side of this issue concerns the young people who could be working in bars or restaurants all week or some evenings during the week. When they might have a night off, though, damn me, but they must go outside and look in.

Something has gone wrong with this country in terms of the way we are going. I honestly think that if we keep doing what we are doing and if we keep tantalising and bringing in legislation that divides our country we will see civil disobedience from youngsters down the road. I would be a afraid of that. We should salute them for what they have done to help over the past 18 months. They are young and youthful. There was an odd time when things went a bit AWOL here and there but the media were nearly trying to show them up. Look at the number of youngsters in this country, what they have done and the sacrifices they made. They did that for their grandmothers, grandfathers, fathers, mothers, aunts and uncles. They made that sacrifice and today we are just casting them aside.

While I support the amendment I ask the Minister to look at bringing in a simple thing called an antigen test or a PCR test. If people were not brought out like poodles to toe the party line, if everyone in this Dáil was asked individually in a private vote how they would vote they would say doing that is a bit of common sense. There does not seem to be much of that around here. I sat beside the Minister many a time when he was an Independent, before he went to the Social Democrats, and I do not know what has come over him. I just cannot fathom how we can be ramming through stuff here. There is no such thing as working together the way the Dail should work. The previous Dáil, in fairness, worked better and there was more co-operation than there is in this one. We hear on the radio at the weekend that something is coming. That is the first we hear of it. The media is able to tell us what is coming and we do not even know. We are elected to represent constituents and the media is able to send it out there when we do not have an iota of what is coming. That has to change.

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