Seanad debates

Monday, 8 February 2021

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

 

10:30 am

Photo of Robbie GallagherRobbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Last week I called on the Leader to contact the Government on the non-essential cross-Border travel, which was taking place both ways, despite the current restrictions North and South. I welcome that the Government has moved on that request with the introduction of a €100 fine for anyone who travels into the State on a non-essential journey. Not alone is the person driving the vehicle subject to this fine but anybody else in that vehicle will also be subject a €100 fine, which I welcome.

However, I am disappointed to learn that a reciprocal arrangement is not in place in Northern Ireland. I again call on the Northern Ireland Assembly to consider implementing a similar arrangement so that anybody from the South who travels North on a non-essential journey be subject to a fine. It is deeply disappointing, frustrating and irritating that 12 months into a world pandemic where people are losing their lives on a daily basis we still seem to be falling short of an all-island approach to tackling this pandemic. I appeal to both the Government and the authorities in the North to make another effort to try to get that all-island approach to this killer disease. Let us call out those who resist it. It is time that resistance was called out and the finger was pointed in the right direction, namely, at those who are blocking that all-island approach.

I would like to comment on figures about which I learned over the weekend, that is, the 375 people who have stuck their two fingers up to the restrictions and the people by travelling on a foreign holiday. Even though they were subject to a €500 fine, and they knew that before they left the house, they decided to book that holiday. That tells me €500 is not enough and needs to be increased to a fine perhaps in the region €5,000, so they will not leave the house in the first instance and do as they are requested.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.