Mattie McGrath Criticises Pub Regulations and Calls for Flexibility
Mattie McGrath addressed the Dáil on 2 Dec 2020 about COVID-era supports and pub regulations, urging flexibility for businesses excluded from payment schemes and criticising the Minister of Health's regulatory powers. He welcomed supports but warned that some businesses fall outside limits and are being forced into untenable situations by current rules.
Appeal for flexibility
Mattie McGrath said many businesses have welcomed supports but remain outside the eligibility limits and urgently need latitude. He appealed for flexibility from Revenue and others so those businesses are not left without assistance.
Criticism of regulatory powers
He described the regulations passed in the Dáil as draconian and argued they give the Minister and the Minister of Health excessive authority to impose regulations. He said that broad powers to make ‘‘any and whichever regulation he likes’’ contribute to uncertainty for businesses.
Confusion over pub classifications
McGrath warned of confusion and "bedlam" around the so-called "dry pub" and the "wet and dry" terminology, saying vendors are seeking clarification. He said some pubs fear opening because neighbouring premises will be closed, creating the risk of large crowds at the few that do open and raising safety concerns for staff.
Safety and payments concerns
He highlighted staff safety, noting that some staff are pregnant and fearful of crowds, and warned that publicans face penalties and loss of payments if they choose not to open. McGrath defended publicans as law-abiding, licensed businesses striving to make a living under difficult conditions.
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I'm not a good count caller, I too am disappointed with the tone really of what the Minister was saying and listening to W.O. Dowd you think they were all criticised, we have welcomed the supports and we've worked to help our constituents and businesses to help them to try and encourage them to draw down the scheme so we appreciate what's been given but there are businesses that are just outside the limit and I'm appealing for flexibility and flexibility from the revenue and from everybody else there must be some latitude because people they didn't desire to be in this situation, they're forced into the situation by regulations passed in this house which are draconian and giving the Minister way too much power to the Minister of Health to make any and whichever regulation he likes and this is where we are now and last night we see and today again the vendors trying to get clarification about the pubs and there's going to be Bedlam with the so-called dry pub, such a horrible name wet and dry, you think that you need Wellington to one of them and you can sunbathe in the other, it's a disgusting acronym and I asked Falter Island today they get blamed for a lot of people who came up with this but I mean it's shocking but I have pubs on to visit today, you know that there are big enough pubs and that every pub within 15 miles of them will be closed and they just are afraid to open, they have to predict their staff, health and safety is very important, they will have such huge crowds come to that pub because all the rest of them are closed and it has to be discriminatory, it has to be unconstitutional what's going on but look the constitution seems to be the last thing that people think of in here now, this president government but these people are not going to open and now what they've been told if they don't open they'll be penalised and they'll lose and they won't get payments again so they have to have the safety of their staff, their own safety first and a staff and one probably told me that he's two of his staff are pregnant mothers-to-be and they're afraid of the crowds that will come and it's not seven food they'll be but trying to keep people away, you ever hear the bit of it, it's only happened in Ireland, I mean it's just stupid, illogical and indeed downright blank adding to those people they're open now and because all the others are closed so if they're all opened people would be cautious and would be in small numbers and well looked after, all these publicans have licence, they're proud people, they get the licence renewed every year, they don't break the law, they're law-abiding people, they want to make a living, thank you.
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