Danny Healy-Rae blasts Sports Island vaccine passport rule for youth
Danny Healy-Rae criticised a decision by Sports Island requiring vaccine passports for children attending basketball, calling the requirement unfair to youngsters and volunteers. He urged the minister and the government to rectify the situation and to stop placing the burden on volunteers to demand proof of vaccination.
Key objection
Danny Healy-Rae said the late announcement that vaccine passports would be required for children and youngsters playing basketball has disrupted the season and is unfair to clubs and families.
Affected clubs and communities
He named local clubs and areas affected, including Ratmoor, Guinea Villa, Killarney, Foyerys and other parts of Kerry and Tully, saying many youngsters and clubs had already paid membership before the new requirement was announced.
Concerns about volunteers and children under 12
He argued it is wrong to expect volunteers to demand vaccine passports from users, noting that 12-year-olds had not yet been vaccinated and that volunteers should not be placed in that position.
Appeal to minister and government
He repeatedly appealed to the minister and the government to deal with the issue "in an honourable way" and to rectify the requirement so it does not penalise young players, clubs and unpaid volunteers.
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Minister, I have to say to you that these exceptional polls that you've got have many people in Kerry, especially youngsters, very upset with the polls that are being dictated and the things that are being dictated in relation to sports for youngsters and we have Sports Island coming out at the latest. stage last week saying that all basketball playing and children and youngsters attending that would have to produce the vaccine passport and this is very wrong in places like Ratmoor and Guinea Villa and Killarney and Foyerys and all the different places where all the youngsters and all the clubs had paid their membership and it was only after that that Sports Island came out and said that what it is in reality volunteers are being asked to demand that a vaccine passport is given for the users that are going in and we have to remember Minister all the 12s have not been vaccinated at all yet and it's very unfair the whole basketball season is has been thrown in and I am asking you and I am asking you and I am asking you and the government to deal with this in an honourable way because it's not fair to ask volunteers to demand a vaccine passport so that the users can go in to play basketball. Why didn't they do that in the first place before the club was registered? Why didn't they ask and spell out what was going to be demanded? Rather he did it when the money was collected by Sports Island. That's very unfair to the youngsters of Ratmoor and Guinea Villa and Killarney and all of Kerry Tully and all the rest of it. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. This is a very serious matter and I am appealing to the minister and the government to rectify this. No. Thank you very much. Thank you very much.
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