[ad_1]
Two background TDs from Fianna Fáil are openly questioning the leadership of Taoiseach Micheál Martin on what they say is the lack of an effective Covid strategy and a collapse of public trust in the Government.
Flaherty and Marc MacSharry have issued separate warnings, one in an open letter to the Taoiseach and the other in a message sent to a group of TDs and WhatsApp senators.
Both men separately see flaws in government communications about vaccines and the ongoing lockdown.
Longford-Westmeath MP, Mr Flaherty, writes to the Taoiseach: “I am only aware of the enormous personal efforts that have been invested in the battle against Covid, but I must warn that the public mood has changed.
“The public has lost faith.”
Sligo-Leitrim TD Mr. MacSharry says in his post to the Taoiseach and colleagues: “The national mood is undoubtedly very low with restrictions and permanent closures.
“The vaccine supply and our ability to manage a million per month (should supplies emerge) are questionable and certainly unreliable given the form shown by the providers thus far.
“Despite the draconian restrictions, our [infection] the numbers remain in the range of 5-600 per day. Hospitalization has decreased, but we already see Nphet talking about lifting the blockade at the end of June and HSE expressing concern. “
Mr Flaherty tells his party leader, Micheál Martin: “The public needs to see a clear path out of the restrictions starting at the end of the month. Despite a massive effort by the general public, the Covid numbers show no signs of abating, and it is inconceivable to think that lives and livelihoods can be put on hold for much longer. “
The New Year began with people excited and anxious about the launch of the vaccine, “but a series of miscommunication and the nature of stopping and starting the vaccine campaign has damaged the public’s confidence without remedy,” he insists.
Mr. MacSharry tells the FF WhatsApp group: “Unfortunately, our only strategy has been to wait for a vaccine and shut down. This is no longer acceptable to anyone, so leadership and change are urgently required. “
It says that control of the events and the anti-Covid campaign has been completely ceded to Nphet. “Meanwhile, the (infection) numbers will likely continue to rise with more activity with or without restrictions, as people become increasingly frustrated and less likely to comply with restrictions,” he says.
Flaherty tells Martin that he went out of his way in January to say that the government and Nphet should have the space and time to fight Covid, and that they had backed the official line at party parliamentary meetings.
“But the public has lost faith,” Flaherty says now. “At the end of the month we will spend 13 weeks in this confinement. And it doesn’t make any noticeable difference. People have lost faith in the running of the bulls. The clear lack of enforcement of mandatory quarantine in hotels has damaged public confidence. “
The deputy for the first time says there was ‘PR’ Garda checkpoints at the airport for a couple of weeks and then a longer step until the mandatory quarantine is launched, while all the time people are flying in and out of the country during the holidays.
“Whether he had addressed the Covid numbers or not, the public felt he would, and action was needed,” says Flaherty, adding that the Irish people “need to see a clear path out of the restrictions by the end of the month. “.
“Businesses must know a start date, children must start playing sports again, and people of faith must be able to come together and celebrate the most important event on the Christian calendar. [Easter],” he says.
“The five-kilometer limit should disappear and it is time to allow golf to add other individual outdoor sports in a controlled environment.
“These are small steps, but ultimately, the next few days should have a clear plan with dates and times for the reopening. We need to see the timeline. “
Online editors
[ad_2]