A Fine Gael Senator has said that most children “probably enjoy” wearing masks, and that “in many cases it’s their parents that are the problem.”
The comments were made this week in the Seanad by Senator Seán Kyne during a discussion on the Covid-19 situation nationally.
Seán Kyne (FG) calling comparisons of forced mask wearing for children with child abuse "scandalous" and blames parents for wanting to protect their children from measures demonstrated to harm their development. #MaskNonce pic.twitter.com/I6Puu4qH6v
— JRD (@JRD0000) December 3, 2021
“With the exception of those who have special health requirements, I heard a commentator compare masks in school to a form of child abuse,” he said.
“That is absolutely ridiculous and scandalous, and is an insult to anyone who has unfortunately suffered a form of child abuse.”
He said instead that “masks are an inconvenience, they’re a bit of a pain. That’s it. That’s all they are, as I said, unless you have a medical condition.”
“Most children have no issue [with masks],” the Senator said.
“They’ll see them as what grown-ups do, wear and have, and they probably enjoy it.”
He added: “In many cases, it’s their parents that are the problem.”
This week, parents and teachers who object to the government’s new mask mandate for primary schools protested outside the Dáíl.
"It's not right": Irish parents protest masking primary school children. #gripthttps://t.co/FeJFDYczDO pic.twitter.com/wy29Y1EfaI
— gript (@griptmedia) December 4, 2021
"Who is Stephen Donnelly to police my children?" Irish parents including those of deaf children speak out on masking young children. #gripthttps://t.co/eYc4lIhmF7 pic.twitter.com/8IjyOLu1te
— gript (@griptmedia) December 1, 2021