Mattie McGrath spoke during a debate on the emergency powers extension, saying the proposed seven-month extension to next June is "way too long" and that he will oppose it. He backed a Sinn Féin amendment to have the measures reviewed in February and criticised a lack of pre-legislative scrutiny and numerous inconsistencies in the rules.
Opposition to the extension
McGrath said the extension to next June is disproportionate and urged a shorter review period, saying he will oppose the full seven-month renewal. He argued the House and the public have had no proper debate or pre-legislative scrutiny of the measures and described many of the rules as illogical and "banged together." He stated support for the Sinn Féin amendment calling for a February review.
Impact on businesses and households
The deputy highlighted the burden on small businesses - publicans, hairdressers, beauty salons, barbers, hoteliers and shops - which invested heavily to reopen only to be closed again. He described examples of traders unable to sell summer stock and complained that some people have been excluded from state payments - including those not paying rates and everyone over 66 - creating what he called inherent inconsistencies and unfairness.
Religious worship, recreation and personal freedoms
McGrath criticised restrictions on religious services, noting weddings and funerals limited to 25 people and warning that a priest or minister holding a public Mass could face fines or jail. He pressed for clarity on Mass for farming communities and on access to gyms. He also described confusion over a last-minute game-shooting restriction, saying it was imposed by the Garda rather than by ministerial order and preventing people from pursuing one of the few open seasons of outdoor recreation.
Praise for Gardaí and local policing examples
He thanked local Gardaí for community work and named local officers and superintendents as examples of dedicated policing, while stressing that public confidence is necessary for effective law enforcement. He said Gardaí have the support of many communities but warned the government risks losing public backing if restrictions remain inconsistent.
Concerns about travel and perceived anomalies
McGrath raised a case of a man flying to Turkey for a parent’s funeral amid full flights and said airports had not been properly addressed. He listed a wide range of everyday activities denied to people - going for a walk, attending Mass, funerals, hair and nail services - and argued the anomalies and confusion in the regulations are eroding public trust.
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I too am delighted to get the opportunity to speak here on this emergency powers extension and I believe the extension is way too long. It's going for seven months right up to next June. We all supported at the very outset all the emergency powers and the teacher was wrong. In fact, this is just that Deputy Healey Ray didn't support any of the measures. Everybody in this house did and we did our best but there's been no pre-led scrutiny at any time. I know you're the briefing yesterday, Minister, but no proper debate or discourse. I know your colleague earlier, your female colleague, Jennifer McNeill, I think, was telling us that we could ask questions at the Justice Committee. We've had no debates, no discussion, only just emergency powers and I believe that this is proportionally extreme and I believe that they are not logical, most of them. They're just banged together and fired together and both fall to Ireland. We're supposed to be blamed for drawing them up, as we're told, especially the nine euro meal, that you could be the nine euro meal. Such, you know, crazy situation like that. Publicans and many other businesses, hairdressers, beauty saloons, you name them, they all went in and put up and all many shops and all small business put up the shutters, put up the pest breaks and the sanitiser and did everything and then they'd be closed again after all the expense they went to. You know, it's just so unfair and now we want to extend these powers for the next, as I said, seven months, which I'll be opposing and I am supporting the Sinn Féin amendment to have them reviewed again in February. I think they should be. Public confidence, you know, the Gardaí can't govern without the support of the people and they have that, thankfully. And I want to thank the Gardaí, the Gardaí and Tipperary and the community of Gardaí and the chief superintendent, you know, Mark, Mark Small and indeed, is the superintendent Wheaton and Cair and Bunni Lehin, Clonmel and all the Gardaí, the community of Gardaí and Cair outside of Red Maloney and indeed, you get an old Levin who's visiting the elderly and going out to them and that's wonderful for the Gardaí. But the elderly are cocooned and locked away now and it's just totally unfair. It beat Banner out altogether that they can't have a worship in a church. A wedding can take place for 25 people or a funeral for 25 people, which is so sad. I guess you can't have an open for Mass. And if the pastor or a priest or any minister of any religion says a public Mass, he can be fined two and a half thousand or even jail. That is shocking. I think it was 1826, those acts were repealed from the penal laws and now we've been back again. So what are we trying to do? Frighten the people. Minister, we also have something I want you to answer as well. You've been asked about the Mass because it's a very important time for farmers. You've been pleaded with to allow the Mass go ahead. They're normally big area places and they've made huge strides there as well. They just simply cannot do them online. You've been asked about the gyms. I have hoteliers on to me. I have elderly people crying they can't go to the gym this time of year. And the coarsing was stopped. And I want to ask you something, Minister. We got clarity today, I think, from Minister Chambers about the game shooting, which was announced last Thursday evening and suddenly that was being stopped. And he informed us today, the committee, questioning that it wasn't any ministerial order, or any order for that matter, that was the Gadda Shekhana, that brought out this law that people shouldn't go out with their dog and their gun. So what are you trying to do with people? People want to support you, but you're not supporting them. You're not allowing the very modicum of solace that they can go out with their gun and their dog for a walk. They can go out with a walking stick and a dog for five kilometres. They're not going to shoot anybody, thankfully. They're good, respectful people and good game clubs that have preserves and I want to salute my own game club, the Ballybacon, Newcastle and Grange and a Finan game club, who do huge work in preservation and have all their fitness and wear them, look after them well and do restocking and do everything else. And this is the only recreation and this is the only season open. So many areas like that. But as I said, there's so many anomalies, there's so many discrepancies, so many consistencies, and the people are confused. But these aren't draconian powers by any manner. And you're losing the people, you have lost them. And I became aware of a situation today where a gentleman went to Turkey and rightly so living here to his parents' funeral, one of his parents. And the plane was full, leaving with Irish tourists going to Turkey. You have never, ever addressed the airports. You've refused to address the airports coming or going. And I think that is unbelievable, if that's happening, when people can't go for a walk, when people can't go to Mass or any church service, when people can't go to a funeral, when people can't get their nails done or their hair done or anything else. The barbers too went to huge expense to get their rooms open. And the shopkeepers, and the clothing. I was talking to a wonderful, you know, Draper yesterday, fellow garment, Mr. Mister, three shops given great employment. He cannot even sell his summer stock. What are they supposed to do? And then you've ruled out many people from payments, if they weren't paying rates. You've ruled out everyone over 66 from any type of payment. So there's inherent inconsistencies and unfairness with this regulation. And I and my rural independent group are opposing it totally. Thank you.
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