Danny Healy-Rae Accuses Government Over Border Travel, Pub Closures
Deputy Danny Healy-Rae challenged the Taoiseach over travel controls and pub closures, saying 60% of current cases are the UK variant and arguing the virus was entering on airlines rather than from pubs. He described the measures as belated and questioned whether they were a charade or an attempt to cover up earlier inaction.
Allegation on travel and variant
He told the Taoiseach that 60% of cases being diagnosed were of the UK variant and argued the virus "was coming in on airlines" — "The virus didn't walk across the Irish Sea." He said the government had done nothing about inbound travel earlier in the pandemic.
Human cost and schools
He warned of the human toll: "People are dead," and said some survivors "will never again be the same after having the virus." He also noted that special needs schools are closed as part of current restrictions.
Critique of timing and motive
He described closing pubs as an easy option and questioned whether the current restrictions represented a belated attempt to act or merely a cover-up for previous failings, calling the timing potentially a "charade."
Taoiseach's response and evidence
The Taoiseach replied that in earlier stages the deputy and others had called for pubs to be opened and asked whether they had learned from what transpired. The Taoiseach said human behaviour in many settings affects spread, that publicans are not blamed per se, and pointed to evidence for not opening wet pubs prior to the Christmas period.
Next steps mentioned in debate
Both speakers agreed travel must be addressed. The Taoiseach closed his rebuttal by saying "travel has to be dealt with as well" before moving on with the debate.
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Taoiseach, you mentioned earlier today the closing down of pubs and that you felt that you were right in doing that. However, 60% of the cases now being diagnosed are of the UK variant. I told Ian the Chamber last year more than once that the virus wasn't growing in the backyards of pubs, rather that it was coming in on airlines. He'd done nothing at all about it. The virus didn't walk across the Irish Sea. We are an island country and I have to say to you, people are dead. People will never again be the same after having the virus, some of them. Special needs schools are closed. Is what a belated attempt now at doing something about the virus coming into this country, is it a charade or is it only an attempt to cover up for not doing what he should have done all along? It's very easy to close pubs down, it's very easy to close the country down and that's what he's done in front of the virus. I find it very difficult to comprehend what has just been said, given all that has happened in the country. And I know that in earlier stages this debate that you, Deputy Danny Healy-Rain, Deputy Michael Healy-Rain, Deputy Mary Lou MacDonald and others were calling for the pubs to be opened and saying they should be opened a long time ago. But have you learned anything from what has transpired? Human behaviour in all settings affects the spread of the virus. We don't blame publicans at all, per se. In some cases there was people who, in certain settings, breached the regulations and the rules. And people in this house know that. Right across the country where guidelines were not adhered to, where rules were not adhered to, in many settings, not just in publicans and hospitality, but in many settings. But the evidence is there too, and that's why we didn't open wet pubs prior to the Christmas period, because the evidence was there, that it would be a contributing factor to the spread of the virus. The virus spreads to a congregation of people in many different settings. Thank you, Tish. And yes, travel has to be dealt with as well. Thank you. Moving on.
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