Reacting to today’s Government announcement on the extension of Level 5 and the introduction of additional restrictions relating to travel, Róisín Shortall TD, co leader of the Social Democrats, made the following points:
- Disappointing that proposals fall far short of a Zero Covid or elimination strategy. There is public support for going further. We need to do it right and do it now.
- No target daily numbers set; no clear objective set. How long will this go on?
- Still an over-reliance on vaccines, despite the fact that supply and long-term effectiveness remain uncertain.
- No detail on how quarantining in a hotel or at home will work. What about legislation? When will it be passed? Who will enforce? Where?
- It seems there is nothing concrete on data sharing with Northern Ireland, despite vague promises from Eamon Ryan. Why has this not been agreed?
- Garda checkpoints at approaches to airports and ports are meaningless as they only have power to issue fines, not turn people back.
- No clarity on what will happen around the border.
- No ambition for an all-island approach.
January 26, 2021