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Dáil
‹ An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

Hospitality reopening legislation

Summary

Deputy Mary Lou McDonald challenged the Government’s rushed, discriminatory indoor hospitality plan and pressed for broader testing and inclusion. The Taoiseach defended the public-health basis for the scheme and said the Government was following advice to reopen safely.

Division Carried

Question put: "That the proposal for dealing with this week's business be agreed to."

Tá 26
·
Níl 19

Do you agree with this result?

It is very clear that the full and safe reopening of the hospitality sector is urgent so that businesses can open, workers can get back to work and people can interact socially once again. Instead of a thought-out orderly plan to make this happen we have, once again, a last minute scramble from the three parties of government to produce legislation that is discriminatory, ill thought-out and which many will regard as unenforceable. The Government will force this legislation through the House with very limited debate. That is wrong. I cannot understand why the issue of PCR testing and antigen testing as mechanisms and tools, along with proper and effective infection control, are again being kicked down the road.

Comment on this

Thank you, Deputy. Time is up.

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What we need is a plan to include everyone and not a plan to exclude some. That is fundamentally wrong and flawed and it is wrong to force it through in this rushed manner.

Comment on this

I have to say, regrettably, that since the Government was formed, on the issue of Covid and Government policy pertaining to it, the Deputy and her party have decided to take a divided and divisive approach, an incoherent and inconsistent approach. Whatever way the wind blows, they take that course. They take a Tadhg an dá thaobh approach. They are hunting with the hound and running with the hare, whichever way. It is all about votes and how they exploit the issue today and how they exploit Covid next week. They are not solution driven or solution orientated. It is all about exploitation for electoral gain. That is the only and sole criterion the Deputy uses in her assessment of Government initiatives.

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Does the Taoiseach propose to answer a question rather than make attack points against members of the Opposition? That would be a refreshing change.

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Sometimes they are for the opening of hospitality. A month later, they are for zero Covid. Other times they are for anybody being able to travel into the country. Other times they want mandatory hotel quarantine.

Comment on this

I put a question to the Taoiseach.

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The time is up, please.

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It is time the Deputy got off the fence. Does she want hospitality to open, as she says she does? Then she should deal accordingly with the plans the Government has put before her to do it safely. The reason the testing is not there is because the public health advice is clear. We are following public health advice in respect of the vaccinated and non-vaccinated. The Deputy knows that.

Comment on this