Sinn Féin has called into question the re-opening of hospitality amid rising case numbers, and has called on the government to institute stronger enforcement of Covid certs against non-compliant businesses.
The remarks were made yesterday in the Dáil by Sinn Féin TD Imelda Munster during a debate on the Covid-19 situation nationally.
Remember when Sinn Féin kind of half pretended to be against vax passes?
Now they are calling into question the reopening of hospitality if businesses not discriminating against customers aren't dealt with.
Imelda Munster: pic.twitter.com/qHEtzjdP1y— JRD (@JRD0000) November 11, 2021
“First, we all welcome the reopening of hospitality, nightlife and entertainment, but I am sure the Minister will agree that the rise in the number of cases in recent weeks has been particularly stark,” she said.
“We cannot blame this on any single sector but, clearly, the reopening of hospitality has had a part to play in that.”
She went on to criticise the “lax” rules around mask-wearing in nightclubs, and the lack of Covid cert compliance seen in many venues.
“We also cannot ignore that mask wearing requirements are very lax in nightclubs,” she said.
“People are exempt if they are dancing, but that is what one does in a nightclub.”
She continued: “It is one thing if it is happening when everybody is fully vaccinated but some premises are not asking for Covid vaccine passes and in others, people are using passes that do not belong to them.
“What is the Minister going to do about non-compliance? Has she made particular recommendations regarding non-compliance to ensure we curb the spread of Covid-19 and allow the reopening to continue?”
Last month, on October 19th, Sinn Féin’s health spokesperson David Cullinane, told RTÉ that the certs “obviously” had to be enforced.
"Sinn Féin has again flip-flopped, this time on the issue of vaccine passports, once again proving themselves to be the least effective opposition in Irish history." Comment by @Ben_Scallan.#gripthttps://t.co/LVQ9GTxoAW
— gript (@griptmedia) October 20, 2021
In July when the certs were originally introduced, Sinn Féin dubbed them “discriminatory.”
“What we need is a plan to include everyone, not a plan to exclude some,” said party leader Mary Lou McDonald at the time.
“That is fundamentally wrong and flawed, and it’s wrong to force it through in this rushed manner.”