I was on The Tonight Sow 21.7.21. The clips here are mainly of the points I made about re-opening hospitality in the face of the rising Covid cases. We’ve come so far, and its been so hard on people. We’ve had the longest lockdown in Europe and we can’t face more. For the sake of another few weeks, till everyone who wants to is vaccinated, why jeopardise public health and an exhausted health service, by opening up too soon.
I spoke against the governments highly discriminatory Bill last night, which is basically ‘mandatory vaccination by the backdoor’. And while PBP believe in vaccinations, neither we, nor the World Health Organisation, support mandatory vaccine. Pushing the Bill through risks destroying the social solidarity on which the fight against Covid 19 must be based. Young people won’t get into restaurants or pubs because they’re not vaccinated, but its OK to have them working there, serving those who are vaccinated!! Disgraceful! Restore the PUP payments till the pandemic is over and stop forcing people into dangerous working conditions. Health policies should be based on science, not led by business interests
Last week, before the recess, I spoke in the Dáil about Covid and the care homes. PBP had, on the Dáil’s special Covid committee last year, secured two key recommendations in the report from that committee. One was for a PUBLIC ENQUIRY INTO EACH DEATH from Covid in the care-homes, many of which were in the most harrowing circumstances. The other was for an assessment of the IMPACT OF PRIVATISATION of care-homes on the service. 80% of such homes are now privatised; it was 20% previously. Neither of these recommendations have been implemented. So few answers to so many questions, and so little action in the face of huge need. Change is needed and it can’t come quick enough. 13.7.21
Asked by TG4, An Nuacht, what we thought of them lifting the Covid restrictions yesterday, I said it was a good thing – people need hope. But what many people need even more is that PUP and wage subsidy payments be maintained, till the end of the pandemic. And ditto with the ban on evictions. This should be reinstated immediatley.
On the Tonight Show last night, we discussed the DAVY scandal, and the scandal of restricted vaccine supply.
VACCINATIONS CANCELLED WITHOUT WARNING! Almost a hundred people over 85 years, in Ballyfermot today, were left worried and anxious when the vaccinations they were expecting to have, failed to materialise. No warning from the HSE. No answer at the other end of the phone. Just typical of FF,FG, Greens cock-up in what they do about Covid. WE NEED TO MAINTAIN SOCIAL SOLIDARITY to beat this thing, and that’s just what the government are squandering with their shoddy arrangements, and ridiculous new Bill, that won’t impose quarantine for non essential travel for another 4 weeks, and even then, in the most incomplete, half-assed way. I spoke in the Dáil today about this.
I spoke on The Tonight Show last night about the HALF-ASSED GOVERNMENT PLAN ON QUARANTINE. While we can’t travel more than 5 kms from home, there are, and will continue to be, plane-loads arriving here from 5,000kms away, and who is monitoring where they go?? And what have they done to make school safe? or to ensure adequate vaccine supplies?
So the schools are set for gradual re-opening. ARE WE SURE IT’S SAFE? The government have had nearly a year to improve safety, to ensure proper space and ventilation, to employ more teachers. But have they? Not that I can see. Our communities include the children. They must be safe if the wider community is also to be safe. The worry is YOU CAN TRUST FF/FG/GREENS ON NOTHING!