Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach. On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group, I join the Cathaoirleach in celebrating Australia Day and extending our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the late Professor Brian Hillery, a distinguished and accomplished public servant who did a great deal in his life. We wish his family well and hope they are doing okay at this difficult time.

I support the Order of Business, as outlined by the Leader of the House. I will raise three issues. The first, on which we may wish to have a debate with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, is one that has come to light in County Mayo in recent weeks. It is the manner in which Vodafone Ireland seems to be accelerating the development and building of telecoms infrastructure throughout the county. It came to light principally because of a particular case in Ballintubber, my home village, where a 25.5 m high mast is to be erected, essentially in the backyard of a family with two small children living in the middle of this rural village. What has galled members of the community is the manner in which the planning application was submitted. The site notice was put up on 12 December 2020 in the run-up to Christmas and in the middle of Covid-19 restrictions. It was by sheer luck that someone in the village spotted the site notice and alerted other members in the community to give them an opportunity, as is their right, to make representations and lodge objections on behalf of the community. If one were to be cynical, one might suggest that the applicant hoped the site notice would go unnoticed during that period. I have since become aware of three other applications made in the past two weeks in County Mayo for large installations in rural areas. Communities are very worried about this. Nobody is against development or infrastructure. We want to have telecommunications infrastructure but there is a better way to deal with communities and erecting a site notice in this manner is not the way to do it.

The second issue is the Covid-19 testing facilities in different communities. I have anecdotal evidence concerning the testing facility at MacHale Park in Castlebar, which is used to service the entire county. Unfortunately, some people with suspected Covid-19 who are travelling to the facility are stopping off on their way to and from the testing facility to do their shopping in Tesco and Dunnes Stores in Castlebar. That is remarkable. I have received anecdotal evidence that some people arriving for the test have shopping bags in the back seat of their vehicle. If people have been referred to a testing facility, it is because they are suspected of having the Covid-19 infection and may infect other people. I implore people not to stop off in public places and risk the lives and welfare of other citizens. I am sure these incidents are not confined to Castlebar and are also taking place in other locations.

The final issue relates to 14-day quarantine. We need to have a debate on the suggestion that zero-Covid is an attainable objective in this country because in my view, it is not.However, we need an open, honest and transparent debate in which we engage with all stakeholders and citizens on an issue that has become topical in recent weeks.