Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ní raibh mé ag súil le bheith istigh chomh luath seo tar éis an oíche aréir. Tá mé beagáinín scattered sa mhéid atá le rá agam. My colleague indicated we would be supporting the Bill but we have tabled a number of amendments. They are similar to amendments we have tabled in other instances where this type of emergency measure was brought in. I am in the Dáil long enough to understand how the Dáil works and how it should work. When we are bringing in measures that impact on people's rights there has to be some sort of oversight. I am a firm believer that we often do not need to bring in measures such as this. If there is a specific emergency we should be able to rely on the fact that the Dáil can be recalled. The Dáil should not be recalled at a moment's notice except in the case of an emergency. Sometimes we bring in legislation just in case something happens and we might need the provisions. That has been part of the problem with the measures to do with Covid. We are a Legislature and we need to take steps to ensure that we have proper oversight and are fully informed of all steps and all legislation that is introduced, especially where it concerns people's rights. The party is favourable towards and has called for mandatory hotel quarantine in the past.

We support this measure but sometimes it is hard to support measures when they are taken in the round with other measures. It is hard to take it when we have low confidence in the approach of the Government in respect of many of the issues to do with Covid. One of the reasons I am out of breath is that I was taking a call from a distraught mother who has been told that her two children are not allowed into school without an exemption from her doctor. I had informed her that this was possibly going to be the case. She went to her doctor who is refusing to issue certificates. Where is the regulatory impact assessment? Decisions taken by the Government are now starting to affect parents and their children. It is not just willy-nilly. These are not people who have issues just with a mask. One of the children has asthma and another has had an operation on his nose. They cannot wear masks for the whole day. They are not refusing to wear masks but they cannot wear them. There is a need for the message from the Government, which is supposed to be based on public health advice, to be clear and understood properly not by parents and kids but by those who are implementing the measures. In this instance, where is the contact with the doctors? Where is their understanding of what they are being asked to do? Where is the form that goes to the doctors around the country who are now being approached in droves by parents of kids with issues? Similar to other provisions, the Minister needs to ensure that this is not extended for too long.

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