Richard Boyd Barrett: Demands Government Answer Questions on Health
Richard Boyd Barrett urged that the government be subject to parliamentary questions on decisions relating to the public health emergency, naming the Taoiseach, the Minister for Health and Ministers for Housing. He argued transparency is essential and said such questioning could take place as soon as next week.
Call for parliamentary questioning
Mr. Boyd Barrett said the government should answer questions from TDs on matters pertaining to the current public health crisis, explicitly citing the Taoiseach, the Minister for Health and Ministers for Housing as key figures who should be questioned.
WHO guidance and transparency
He framed the demand as aligned with the spirit of the World Health Organization's view, saying that in a public health emergency transparency of decision making and confidence in the authorities are key to gaining public support.
TDs and public concerns
Mr. Boyd Barrett noted that most TDs are inundated with queries, questions, concerns, fears and anxieties from the public, and he argued those concerns need to be put to government so that public questions can be answered.
Timing and compliance
He said there was no reason why parliamentary questioning could not take place next week and described his position as more than compliant with international public health principles on transparency and public trust.
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As we discussed at length at the Business Committee, Ciancorla, some of us are very strongly of the view that the government should be subject to questions, particularly on matters pertaining to the current public health crisis, notably the Taoiseach, the Minister for Health, Ministers for Housing and other key ministers who are making important decisions in relation to the public health emergency. and that there's no reason why that couldn't take place next week and our view by the way is one which we think is more than compliant, indeed it is very much the spirit of the World Health Organization's view that in a public health emergency, transparency of decision making, confidence in the authorities is key to gaining public support, trust and compliance with public health measures and at the moment most TDs are inundated with queries, questions, concerns, fears, anxieties being expressed by the public and those things need to be put for government in order the public questions can be answered and I see no difficulty in that happening, Cian. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Thank you.
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