Mattie McGrath Raises Vaccine, Cancer Backlog and Church Concerns
Deputy Mattie McGrath challenged ministers over delayed cancer diagnoses, inconsistent Astra vaccine guidance and recent restrictions affecting churches, demanding written answers and remedies for those affected. He pressed for figures on diagnostic backlogs, compensation for nurses told to take the Astra vaccine, and a meeting on a local hospital closure.
Cancer diagnosis delays
The Deputy asked why the HSC and the Department of Health are not compiling figures on people who have experienced delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis, noting there are 8,000 people waiting for colonoscopies. He described the lack of written answers to his queries as an insult to his constituents in Tipperary and demanded transparency on what is being withheld.
Astra vaccine guidance for nurses
He criticised changing guidance on the Astra vaccine, saying student nurses were told in March they would be forced to take it or risk their careers after earlier messages in February that it was not safe for young people. He highlighted the April position limiting Astra to over-60s and asked how nurses who were told to take the vaccine will be compensated or respected.
Church restrictions and penal sanctions
The Deputy raised concerns about penal sanctions signed into law the same day the Taoiseach met church leaders, asking what the Government has against the Catholic and Christian faiths. He questioned restrictions on priests saying mass, hearing confessions or attending mass outside and demanded an explanation from ministers.
Quarantine questions and overseas travel
He queried quarantine rules affecting teachers who travel home vaccinated and repeatedly tested, asking why they should be quarantined after travel to United and UAE. He said that line of questioning remains unanswered and called for clarity on the policy.
Local hospital closure and promised meetings
The Deputy pressed ministers to meet Councillor Kean Burke and the Action Committee over the closure of St Bridges Hospital in Calgary and Shure, saying the facility was shamefully closed and has been used as a COVID centre. He urged Minister Butler and Minister Dunley to honour a commitment to meet the group.
Ministerial response and procedural dispute
Ministers present accused the Deputy of making verifiably false and dangerous claims and stressed the session is for oral questions and answers, not a platform for lists of assertions. The exchange included a reminder that members may seek written replies when time runs out and that communication issues have been raised at the Business Committee level.
We publish thousands of recordings to make Irish politics transparent and resistant to manipulation. Spotted an error? Report it — together we are building a reliable archive of Irish politics.
I want to ask you first, I know you do your best to ask the Minister to reply to me in writing. I have never got an answer. It is an insult to the people who elect me in Tipperary. Why are the HSC and the Department of Health not creating figures of people who have delayed diagnosis with cancer and misdiagnosis? There are total 8,000 people waiting for colonoscopies alone and there are many other diagnoses that have been delayed. What are we hiding? The second question is about the Astra vaccine. In March student nurses were told they were forced to have to take it. She stood there and said they have to take it or their careers will be profited. In April they were told that it was not safe for them, sorry that they should take it. In February it was not safe for young people. In March they were told they had to take it or their careers will be profited. Now in April we see it is only over 60s. What about nurses who have been forced to take this? How are you going to compensate them? How are you going to give them a sense of fair play or respect? I also want to ask the Minister about the churches. Taoiseach Martin was meeting the church leaders last Thursday and the same day you were signing into law penal sanctions against priests to say mass or hear confessions or go to mass or whatever else outside. What have you got against the church and the Catholic faith especially and the Christian faith? What have you got against it? It is time that you answered the question and taught us. I also want to know about United and UAE as well. I have many teachers. One, they go home, they are vaccinated and they have been tested numerous times and why should they be quarantined? That question has been also asked. As I said, Minister Butler and Minister Dunley, when are you going to meet with Councillor Kean Burke and the Action Committee, which you committed to meeting with, to save St Bridges Hospital in Calgary and Shure? I want a facility which you shamefully closed down, especially Minister Butler. It is a shame on you. Up the road from your own patient, your own family is using it. That is a separate matter, Deputy McGrath. It is not for today's discussion, please. Well, it is, because it has been used as COVID centre and interest on ceremony closed down. It is very much so. Yes, Minister. Very briefly, please. Deputy McGrath has come in here week after week after week and made contributions like he has just made. Now, he has just said several things which are verifiably false and importantly so. He has stated some quite outrageous things like the Taoiseach... The reply in writing is so and he can refute it. Why won't he put it in writing, the answer? Ah, no, let's not have an argument. No, I am serious. I have never got an answer for that. Well, can we hear the Minister and then we will see where we progress. The Deputy has just stated some really dangerous things like healthcare workers are being forced to take vaccines. The problem is, Kean Corley, this is a questions and answers session. The Deputy comes in here every week and every single week just like this. He has said a lot of things, some of them, many of them false, several of them dangerous. He has never... I ask questions for answers. I don't get answers from you. Wait now, please. No, Kean Corley, I ask questions. I didn't say things, I ask questions. Well, can we hear the Minister? He has never once, once, just as this week, he has never once left time for me to answer or address anything he said. And can I just say, the protocol in this session is not that Deputy McGrath stands up, makes a list of false claims and then gets responses in writing from me. It is a questions and answers session. If the Deputy wants answers, I am here. But he does have to leave time for me to correct a lot of the dangerous and false things that he continues to say every week. On a point of clarification, Kean Corley, I am on the Business Committee. I understand quite clearly that we can choose to use our time for questions and written answers. That is the path of the protocol. So Minister O'Donnelly is saying lies at the House, as he did about the churches here some months ago. Is that the formula? We can ask questions and ask written replies if there is not time. Is that right or wrong? OK, I will try and bring some clarity to this. It would be better if we did not any of us start accusing each other of acting inappropriately. My understanding, for everybody's benefit, is that yes, this is questions and answer session. Yes, it is desirable that those asking the questions leave time for the questions to be answered. But in circumstances where people have more questions than they have time available to them, it is and has been my understanding that a member might indicate that they would be happy to have a response in writing. In respect of Deputy McGrath, he has raised this repeatedly at the Business Committee and it seems as though we will have to resolve the communications difficulty at that level because it has not been resolved to date. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you for downloading 🙏
If you publish this material on social media, we would be very grateful if you tagged VideoParliament. It helps us reach more people and keep building a transparent archive of Irish politics.
