John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It was also stated that there is no hope from Government. The Government moved very quickly this week. It met the Licensed Vintners' Association, the Irish Hotels Federation and the Restaurants Association of Ireland to respond as quickly as possible to the issues, concerns, anxieties and awful challenges that they face. The Government will continue to do that. A sum of €600 million per month is being expended by the Government on behalf of taxpayers and citizens on support measures for businesses. I accept, as much as anybody, that, to borrow a quote, "Too long a sacrifice can make a stone of the heart". I know people are fraught and anxious. I know also that, for example, some members of my extended family can travel into this country this Christmas; they could not do that last year. Despite Opposition Deputies saying that there is no hope from this Government, almost 1 million people have been administered a third dose of vaccine. A year and a half ago, we did not think we would have a vaccine.

Members of the Opposition need to be measured in their comments. If not, what they say will be exploited and we will see more demonstrations such as took place today and they will increase.

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