Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Covid emergency powers are due to run out at midnight tomorrow. We are so used to the emergency legislation that we now take it for granted. I have a petition signed by 3,000 people in the last few days calling for them to be ended. We want them ended. I understand they are to end. I have asked parliamentary questions but have not been told. Are they ending tomorrow night, Thursday, 31 March, or not? The Taoiseach will know that the following day is April fool's day. We need a straight answer from him now. Will they be finished - finito - tomorrow night at midnight, as was promised? Will they be gone? The Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, likes them. He told us one night that he has signed nearly 100 statutory instruments and different orders on top of the regulations. Will they be ended tomorrow night as was passed by this House?

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