Dáil called on to overturn new regulations for pubs and restaurants - McGrath
The Rural Independent Group led by Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath is set to move a motion this week calling on Dáil Éireann to rescind the new health regulations for pubs and restaurants which were introduced by Health Minister by way of a Statutory Instrument last week.
Statutory Instrument (S.I. No. 326 of 2020) which came into effect on September 3rd requires “a record of the substantial meal or meals ordered, pursuant to Regulation 11(2)(a)(iii) (I), by Each member of a party of persons and each sole person permitted, or otherwise granted, access to the premises”.
Since the publication of the new guidelines by Fáilte Ireland and subsequent backlash from industry representatives, the Government, including the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Health have gone to great lengths to try and downplay the severity of the regulations and have claimed that it is not a requirement to record the meals ordered by every person that enters the premises. These claims by Government are a direct contradiction of what is actually included in the statutory instrument, signed into law by the Minister for Health.
Speaking ahead of the Private Members Motion being debated in Dáil Éireann on Wednesday, Deputy McGrath has called on all those who have been critical of the new measures to support the motion.
“These new regulations have been introduced without consultation with industry representatives who have claimed that they are unworkable and downright bizarre. There has been huge political reaction to the regulations which were introduced without debate in Dáil Éireann and we are now giving all members an opportunity to debate the measures and vote to overturn them as they are an un-necessary burden on an industry which is almost at breaking point,” aid Deputy McGrath
“There appears to be no logical reason as to why it should be necessary to record the substantial meal or meals ordered, by each member of a party of persons and each sole person permitted to the premises. The Government have gone to great pains trying to say that this is not what is required and that it is an overaction, but it is set out in black in white under Section 13 (1) (c) of S.I. No. 326 of 2020.”
Deputy McGrath criticised the Government for losing focus and creating un-necessary administrative burdens on an industry already suffering as a result of Covid-19.
“This is absolutely a case of losing focus on what is important here resulting in an un-necessary administrative burden on an industry that are struggling to hold on operating at reduced capacity after a pro-longed period of closure. Keeping records of what every person that enters the premises have ordered for a period of 28 days will in no way help in the fight against covid 19 and takes focus away from the important steps of hand and respiratory hygiene. NPHET have advised me that they did not seek the requirements in relation to the “€9” meal and now the Government have taken it one step further seeking that pubs record what the substantial meal was for a period of 28 days.
"The Rural Independent Group and I are calling on the Government to admit that they got this one wrong, rescind the statutory instrument and re-focus on supporting and fully re-opening an industry in a safe but logical manner,” concluded Deputy McGrath.