Deputy Mary Lou Mcdonald - speech from 19 Mar 2020

Ceann Comhairle, across this island, our citizens, families and communities are now bracing themselves for what is going to be a very tough few months. The crisis presents us with the challenge of our lifetime to protect health, to defend livelihoods and to save lives. And no one here has all of the answers to all of the challenges that we face, but we have been elected here and we have a job to do, to listen to and to be guided by sound advice, to take decisions and to lead. That is what we must do. Social distancing, keeping ourselves to ourselves, is the thing that will slow this virus down. Social solidarity, community and family are the things that will protect us from isolation, anxiety and fear, and we need to practice both in equal measure. People have responded to the collective effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. They have heard the public health information and people have made the conscious decision to minimise social contact. People and communities have rallied to the call to slow this virus down. Over the weekend and St Patrick's Day, people cancelled parties, get-togethers, family occasions, to protect and save the lives of loved ones and neighbours. And yet, yesterday, tens of thousands of those same people went back to work, to factories, to construction sites, to places where there is no real prospect of being able to practice social distancing, where there are no hand sanitizers and where there is no adequate protection. And now these workers worry that they are bringing the virus into their homes. This is a concern that must be answered. The legislation before us today affords the Minister extraordinary and far-reaching powers. Extraordinary powers for an extraordinary time. And people want to know that these powers will be used to protect them. So they ask why it is that large gatherings are still allowed. They ask why it is, in this race against time, the government has not yet introduced measures to give full effect to social distancing. Nobody relishes the idea of what is called lockdown. But people do want the full assurance that half measures aren't being taken, that corners aren't being cut, and that every necessary measure is being deployed to protect their health and safety, and that these things are being done now. And I believe the government must give this reassurance to people, give full explanations of what is happening and when and why. Because orderly, decisive action is the thing that brings about calm and reassurance. Equally, Minister, people must know that the powers vested in you are used only and exclusively for the purposes of addressing this crisis. Tens of thousands of people have lost their jobs. Many more will lose their jobs in the days and weeks ahead, as businesses have had to close their doors. And for these families, the fear of the virus is now matched by the fear of bills that cannot be paid, rents that cannot be paid, mortgages that might go into default. Today's legislation is just the start of the welfare response for these families. Illness benefit and jobseekers payments are just part of what must be a comprehensive response. And it should be said that anybody will struggle on 305 euros a week. I think that has to be acknowledged. The memory of the banking crisis and financial crisis is still fresh in people's minds. The disastrous cutbacks and austerity had dire social consequences. We cannot walk that path again. The people of this state bailed out the country's banks a decade ago, and the legacy of that crisis still prevails. It was the resilience of ordinary workers that got our economy back on its feet. So now, in the eye of this new storm, the state must deliver for its people as guardian of the common good. That is our job here. At this time, people's homes are their sanctuaries. Never before has the need for a secure roof over your head been greater. And that's why today we have put forward an amendment to the legislation that will prohibit evictions for the period that this legislation is in place. I believe that must be upheld in the common good. And that no threat of eviction should hang over anybody's head at this time of crisis. We have to ensure that no person is left behind. It's our responsibility here to show leadership and to reassure people that we can get through this crisis. And I have no doubt, Jan Corla, that we can do that. Indeed, we need look no further for our inspiration than to the example of our health care workers, who have signed up now, many of them returning in their tens of thousands, to work in our hospitals and our communities and to deal with the crisis. They are the ones whose example we should follow. So, in that spirit, today, the Dáil needs to resolve that during this emergency, that no renter will be left unable to pay their rent. That nobody will be forced into default of their mortgage. That nobody will have their utilities or their phone cut off. That nobody will be left without enough income to put food on the table. And that no viable business will be left unsupported. No frontline worker either will be left without the basic protections necessary to do their job. Everything that we do now, socially, economically and politically, must have as its sole priority the health and well-being of workers and families. Because this is a time for us all to pull together. The Dáil will meet again next week to take further decisions. I believe that the work of the Dáil cannot cease at a time of national emergency. I believe that together we have to approach this crisis with resolve and with determination. And I want to again acknowledge the work of everybody who has been involved in this public health response. I want to commend all of you, each one of you, for your work thus far. Your work is invaluable. We salute you and your efforts at this time. Special tribute must be paid to our staff, our health staff, across the Irish health system, but in our hospitals in particular. Truly, these are the people at the frontline of this crisis. And none are more deserving of our respect, our admiration and our support. And so we need to do our bit. We need a single island-wide response. We live on a small island. And we must be in lockstep north and south. That's the only way that we can keep our people safe. Because this is a road that we walk together. In years to come, Count Córla, we'll talk about life before the coronavirus and life after the virus. But for now, the most important time is the present, the here and now at this daunting time. There is no doubt that we shall overcome. The togetherness we see in our communities, the bravery and professionalism of our frontline health workers and the enduring spirit of our people should fill us all with hope. Because we've overcome hardship in generations in the past. We are no strangers to dark days. But we will endure together.