Two Month Old NPHET Advice on Mandatory Self Isolation for International Travelers Yet to be Implemented

Speaking at the Oireachtas Covid-10 Committee in Leinster House today Aontú Leader Peadar Tóibín TD stated;

“One of the most controversial aspects of the handling of the Covid-19 Crisis in Ireland has been this governments’ handling of international travel. Its clear that International travel seeded the virus in Ireland. In the early days of the crisis Aontú called on the government to stop flights from Northern Italy and other hotspots of the virus. This was a policy that was successfully implemented by many other others both within and outside the EU, most notably New Zealand”.

“I asked the Taoiseach at the start of the crisis why the government would not close down flights from Northern Italy, why was the government unwilling to stop thousands of Italian Tourists coming to Dublin for the cancelled Rugby match”.

“The Taoiseach stated that the ECDC said that that these flights should not be stopped. I asked the Taoiseach what was the rationale for this and he said that he did not know. I was shocked that the Head of State would follow these requests without understanding the rationale, especially when other EU countries were closing borders to protect their citizens at the time”.

“Today we learn that NPHET had advised the government as early as the 3rd of April to introduce mandatory self isolation for international travelers. Today, 2 months later this still has not been done. The government has stated over and over again that every decision they have made as been on the basis of best medical and scientific advice yet here we see this advice remain unimplemented”.

“Today, we have a bizarre situation where its mandatory to fill in a form and not mandatory to fulfill the details of that form. This will affect us in two ways. It will leave Ireland exposed to imported cases and it may determine our participation in certain international travel bubbles. This is where certain countries agree open travel between each country depending on how safe they consider each participant country. All ready there are reports of certain counties leaving Ireland out of travel bubbles due to exposures in our systems and the high level of per capita deaths from Covid-19 in Ireland.

The Irish political system is radically broken

In Ireland the vast majority of elected representatives put a finger in the air to check which way the political wind is blowing. They have one eye on their leaders – seeking brownie points – and another eye keeping their seat safe. If elected reps shut up and do as they’re told, they are promoted; if they stand up for what they believe in, they are demoted. No wonder we have the political class we have. No wonder one point one billion euro is being buried in a hole under the National Children’s Hospital and that Stormont is in stalemate.

Throughout Ireland, many people are now afraid to say what they feel, many are afraid to respectfully engage on a range of different topics. Many feel there is a new censorship and a new political correctness in Ireland, that opposition to the establishment is being deleted.

Respectful opposition is not the enemy. Respectful opposition is a critical element of a functional democracy. Aontú will have the backbone to stand up, without fear, for you.