Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I plead with the Taoiseach to open up visits for family members to patients in hospitals.

They need family members for personal care and to advocate for them. Patients will only confide in their own. Old people are lonely and this is the one thing that happened with the virus. Many of these people died alone. They miss their family members after working hard all their lives. Everything else has opened up and that is fine. This is inhumane. It can be done safely.

I offer my heartfelt sympathy to the family of Pádraig Clifford from Milltown who died last night leaving four children behind. His wife, Elaine, died four months ago. The four children are now on their own. I offer my heartfelt sympathy to the Harrington and Clifford families who are in total shock at this time.

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