Danny Healy-Rae condemns rushed hospitality rules as 'discrimination'
Danny Healy-Rae criticised legislation rushed through on 14 July 2021 that restricts access to the hospitality sector, calling it discriminatory and an infringement of civil liberties. He argued the measures were imposed without proper consultation, unfairly target young people and the medically exempt, and ignore alternatives such as antigen testing.
Main criticisms
Danny Healy-Rae said the legislation was rushed and imposed without discussion with rank-and-file hospitality workers. He described the measures as "discrimination of the highest order" and accused ministers of acting without proper consultation, while backbenchers complain privately but still vote for the bill.
Concerns for young people
He warned that 18-year-olds who are trying to get vaccinated will be left outside and effectively compelled by the rules. He said this treatment of young people, who have faced prolonged isolation, is shocking and unfair.
Vulnerable and medically exempt people
He raised cases of people unable to take the vaccine on medical advice, including those on blood thinners, and said they risk being excluded from pubs and restaurants. He recounted a constituent who suffered a severe reaction after a first dose and will not take a second, arguing such people would still deserve access to hospitality.
Questions on testing and enforcement
He criticised the lack of consideration for antigen testing as an alternative and asked who will monitor compliance in venues. He said ministers had suggested GPs would provide proof for people who had the virus, but that doctors were denying this and the practicalities remain unclear.
Local hospitality and weather concerns
He defended publicans and restaurateurs, saying the sector is run by honest, hard-working people who should be trusted. He warned that requiring outdoor service in places with poor weather, such as his county, could harm customers' health and businesses, saying prolonged outdoor dining risks pneumonia for some people.
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Thank you, Concord and Atlantic for the opportunity. I am very disappointed with this legislation that has been rushed through. I, more than anyone else, wanted the hospitality sector to be open fully and spread people out. Clearly, this is discrimination of the highest order. No consultation. Yes, maybe some few words with the heads of the Vintners organisation or whatever, but no discussion with the rank and file. Who is going to monitor this? Minister Martin said yesterday, GPs will give such to people who had the virus. The doctors are after denying this. This is a total infringement in civil liberties. We should treat everyone equally, yet we are discriminating now. This is shocking treatment of our young people. 18-year-olds are trying their best now to get vaccinated as hard as they can, so they won't be left outside. This is compelling them. This is wrong. This is very wrong. There are backbenchers here inside all evening complaining about this legislation, yet they will come in here later tonight and vote for it, like they do with everything else. And who are they calling? Minister, why is antigen testing not being considered? He is a member of NPHET, I have asked this before, gainfully involved in other test kits. Surprising that he didn't get the department to detail this or what is going on here. Why doesn't Minister Donnelly and the Government trust the hospitality sector? Why don't they trust the publicans? Why don't they trust the restaurateurs? All around Kerry, the grandest of people that provided the best of service back over the years and avoided by every law. How do you think that this can be monitored? Why is it so rushed? Why didn't they give a chance to people to suss it out? And again I say, 18-year-olds are going to be denied and kept outside after all what has been done to them for the last year and a half and the way they have been isolated and their lives totally impinged on. But then I have people ringing, people that can't get the vaccine. They can't take it, their GPs have advised them. And one woman said to me yesterday, Danny, my husband and myself and son and doctor used to always go to the local pub. Am I going to be kept out now on that voice of my doctor, I couldn't take the vaccine because I have a blood problem, blood clotting and more of them said that because they're on blood thinners or whatever, they couldn't take the vaccine. I know one man that got the vaccine and he finished up above and cock after the first vaccine and he was rushed up there, he had a trot in his leg. He's not going to take the second vaccine and I can tell you here inside that man more than anyone else would deserve to get a couple of points because he works terribly hard to keep his business going and to deny him the right to have a point. That's wrong. And that's very wrong. And he don't know what he ratted on, minister. And I look forward to the day when, for many reasons, that we won't have the coronavirus and that we won't have he dictating just like he are here. And he don't trust good, honest, hard working publicans and people that run restaurants and asking them to put the people outside, to eat outside. And like, he don't understand it either. He get a way better weather up here in Dublin than we get down in Kerry. It's raining down there every day when I leave it and when I go back down, it's raining again. And as soon as it's shiny here outside, it's fine for the people in Dublin. We have a different climate altogether. And in a couple of more weeks, people will get pneumonia if they don't get the virus. And they'll probably die of it if they're going to be kept outside much longer. Thank you, Deputy, please. Thank you.
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