Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage
Seanad Éireann — 2020-10-23
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John McGahon (FG), Cultural and Educational Panel

My apologies. The Senator argued that the regulations may affect the solidarity of people. I do not believe it will. I believe it will actually enhance people's solidarity as I will explain. People have often said to me that they and their family are abiding by the rules and breaking their backs to do the right thing, yet they constantly see people on Facebook and other social media going out of their way to flout the regulations. They ask why there is no deterrent for those people, and why are they not being fined for continuously breaking the law? It is a last resort. Gardaí will not walk around with a notebook and pen doling out fines left, right and centre.
One Saturday six weeks ago, I was in Dublin and got caught up in the middle of one of these bloody anti-mask protests while waiting for a bus. The abuse that these head-the-balls, for want of a better term, gave to an elderly couple wearing masks who were waiting beside me. Protesters were sticking mobile phones in the couple's faces and telling them to take off their masks. It was madness of the highest degree and utterly wrong.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2020-10-23/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:48:43+00:00
Sitting date: 2020-10-23