Mattie McGrath criticised the government's handling of COVID-19 testing and tracing and said he would oppose renewed emergency legislation that extends ministerial powers. He called the testing and tracing systems a "fiasco", cited long waits for results and questioned the continued reliance on PCR testing.
Testing and tracing failures
He said testing was a fiasco, citing emails from constituents who could not get tested or faced long waits, including one woman who waited 41 days. He said contact tracing "collapsed at the weekend" and gave an example of a hotel owner unable to get timely HSE advice after a positive case.
Opposition to extended emergency powers
He stated his opposition to renewed legislation that would give the minister extended powers, saying it amounted to signing a "bank check up to June 2021" and that he would vote against the renewal. He argued that many elected members were not attending debates and questioned democratic oversight.
Concerns about PCR testing and testing alternatives
He challenged the accuracy of the PCR test and pointed to rapid testing carried out by a visiting doctor from Belfast, who produced results in an hour for 20 people. He accused the HSE and the department of incompetence for failing to deploy alternative tests and to deliver reliable testing and tracing services.
Costs, nursing homes and public trust
He referenced a reported cost of 12.5 million to keep nursing home testing in place and said the public had lost faith because of perceived misbehaviour, "fake numbers and fake news". He warned that prolonged restrictions were harming people and the economy and that ordinary citizens were becoming increasingly angry.
Controversial comparisons and withdrawal
He saluted the efforts of "the guard in temporary" but criticised frequent regulatory changes and described the measures as "tyranny". During his speech he used a Hitler comparison and was asked to withdraw the reference, which he subsequently did.
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I just want to say first of all to Deputy O'Donnell I had respect for him and he was here and spoke for his 11 minutes but there are many other deputies are not turning up and we cannot possibly follow through you know yourself being a smaller group look Minister this is not going to work I mean there's too many too many glitches and bad marks in it the testing is a fiasco I have emails every other day of people who want the test can't get a test they had a test they're waiting two weeks I one woman she waited 41 days for tests and I mean it's just not working the tracing collapsed at the weekend we know the tracing wasn't working anyway I had a hotel owner who contacted me someone tested positive she was told if she wanted to act properly she closed she couldn't get an answer to the HSE and then she told forget about it it's only 48 hour tests anyway the whole thing is the shambles that way I oppose this renewed legislation here to give you Minister the power to do annual liability that's why we're signing a bank check up to June 2021 everyone bought into this the public young and old from the cradle to the we bought into this at the first time but when we see the government misbehaving when we see the shambles and the testing when we see the fake numbers and fake news and when we see the minister here what's after happening in that unfortunate nursing home and I don't want to add any more misery and we're told last week there's cost 12 and a half million to keep the nursing home tested and we must keep them tested but why are you sticking to the PCR test it's been proven all over the world not to be accurate Deputy Kenny and many of us have brought forward other tests for their eye treatment last week got a doctor down from Belfast to his constituency office and got 20 people tested they all had a result in an hour what kind of incompetence is in the HSE and your department that they can't get the testing right that they can't get they can't get the tracing right so the people have lost faith and you have lost the battle because everyone's in it together then after they call the Kayla we're all in this together you were telling us we are and the rich are getting richer the banks are still doing what they like the vulture funds are doing what they like and court cases have been going on terrorizing families all through the first time as well and now so there's a double act going on here big company conglomerates are getting richer and richer and the world health organization Dr Robert Numero I'll read it again I'll say it again he has said stated and others in it as well he's there invited the United Nations that lockdowns haven't worked they're regressive on the poorer and less well-off people and they do damage to mental health you name it and he has said it the world health will tell me for a long time to you the two meter distancing wasn't necessary but he insisted on it here in Ireland he want to persecute and destroy the energy the enthusiasm the passion and the very vigor and being of the Irish people but he won't succeed because the people here a hundred years ago fought for their freedom and they have to now fight a tyranny that he wants to introduce first of all I want to salute the guard in temporary and all over the country and I'm meeting in Dublin too they're doing their best they don't know what regulations they're operating they're changing so many times and if we pass this legislation today which I'm voting against in my independent groups you will have the power to bring in any instrument you like in this is what this wouldn't happen under Hitler this is scandalous what's going on and we're supposed to be a democracy and where are the members where are the members in this big place we're paying 25,000 a day for to come in and speak where are they I think are under a stone are they hiding the people are elected to represent the people and represent the people who are terrorized and are very cross and very angry and getting more cross the churches are closed only two countries other countries in the world North Korea and and Saudi Arabia have the churches closed for against worship it's just shocking tyranny and it's a it's a terrible treatment on the people and come back John Tracy and Dan Breen and the magnificent men of temporary who fired the first shots in the war of independence we need leaders like that now again thank you chair thank you deputy I'd ask you to withdraw the the referral to Hitler Hitler I don't think you meant it no but it's a tyranny I think I just ask you to withdraw yeah we'll withdraw it in the name of Hitler but we're being led here no no thank you we've been led into a cul-de-sac here I just asked deputy I asked you to withdraw it not to go on thank you very much
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