Becky Kealy: The Government’s Mishandling of Covid-19
Aontú Rep for Cork North West Becky Kealy has criticised the government’s complete abandonment of any issue bar Covid-19 and has criticised the manner in which Covid-19 is being reported by the government.
Becky Kealy: “There are so many crises in my own county of Cork, and across the country which are being neglected by the government’s current approach. Schools returning and the cost upon parents is not even being talked about. The near-death state of the childcare sector is hardly known beyond parents and providers. The suffering of pubs and taxi drivers is an afterthought. Every issue is being ignored and treated as non-existent by virtue of the
government’s approach.”
“Then most frustratingly, any debate, questions or criticism is rebuffed on the basis that the government is tackling Covid-19. The rest of the country’s problems did not stop with Covid – in fact they got worse. Parents and young people have vented their frustration to me that the government is using Covid-19 to deflect away from their failures and to paper over the cracks of the government.”
“Also, imagine if Cancer figures were reported in the same fashion of Covid-19, whereby the country is told each and every day the number of people who have gotten cancer? The nation would be under an almost permanent cloud. In the same way, the manner in which the Covid-19 is being reported is having an adverse effect on elderly people, people with mental health challenges, people with disabilities, worried parents and people at risk. There needs to be more and concern for the mental and emotional well-being of our country in the way we report on Covid-19.”