Micheál Martin: Government acted in good faith in suspending Dáil

Labour leader Alan Kelly wants a contingency plan for if a Minister tests positive for Covid-19 : Brian Lawless/PA Wire

The Government "acted in good faith" when it suspended the Dáil on Tuesday evening, the Taoiseach said.

The Dáil was suspended by Ceann Comhairle Seán O Fearghail after Health Minister Stephen Donnelly became unwell and went for a Covid-19 test. This led to the entire Cabinet announcing that they would restrict their movements, leading to Mr O Fearghail suspending the chamber until next week.

However, the Dáil was reconvened later, leading to what Labour leader Alan Kelly would call "one of the most bizarre days" that the Oireachtas has ever seen.

"The three arms of the state stopped," Mr Kelly told Leaders' Questions, asking for Taoiseach Micheál Martin to write to opposition leaders to outline how the situation arose.

"We need a contingency plan. Simon Coveney is going through very deep, detailed discussion in relation to Brexit. We need to know that there is a contingency in place in relation to the Executive and these houses."

The Irish people will support the latest Covid plan, just be clear on what the plan actually is.

Today in the Dáil @alankellylabour called on the Government to make clear what they are asking Irish people to do with their new plan pic.twitter.com/hlrcsRPFzh

— The Labour Party Ireland (@labour) September 16, 2020

Mr Martin said that the Dáil was adjourned for two hours due to the situation which led to some Ministers being told that they were restricting their movements while in their offices.

"When the news emerged of Stephen Donnelly's test, the Secretary General of the Department of Health contacted the CMO, the CMO in what might be described as an over-abundance of caution said ministers should restrict their movements.

"The Secretary General was anxious that the Chief Whip would get that information and communicate it to the Clerk of the Dáil."

Mr Martin said that Mr Donnelly had taken part in a number of meetings with other Ministers throughout Monday and Tuesday and a decision was made to minimise the risk.

"The call was made because we didn't want to expose any other people to risk. 

Everyone acted in good faith. Then the point was made that Ministers of State could cover for Ministers. Not in all cases, obviously. 

"I was of the view that the Dáil should resume. That's it. It was a precautionary measure to minimise risk. There is no big mystery to it."

Mr Martin further clarified that those who are due to travel outside Dublin, for holidays, weddings or other family events, should not go if possible. The Taoiseach rejected opposition suggestions that he or the government had been unclear on restrictions for the capital. 

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said that the government messaging on Dublin, which is at what some Ministers have called "level two and a bit", was "a mess".

"Your words today add to the confusion and the anxiety across the county."

Earlier, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said that there is "a strong possibility" that Dublin could end up at Level Three within the coming days. 

"I'm doing this interview at the moment in my home in Dublin, and the concerns that are guiding us regarding Dublin are about how - it's not just about the increase in the disease - it's about how the disease is spreading home to home.

"And that's a really serious development for us. And that's why we are asking in Dublin that gatherings of no more than six take place, and up to a maximum of two households in those. I think moving to level three is a possibility and a real possibility."

📻Listen back: Finance Minister @Paschald speaking on @morningireland this morning re the new #Covid_19 guidelines.

You can read about the guidelines here: https://t.co/uaFacbJDdV pic.twitter.com/QpXbg4vIyc

— Fine Gael (@FineGael) September 16, 2020

Mr Donohoe accepted that there has been some confusion over the government's framework and said that if there is, it is up to the government to take responsibility for it.

"When you're launching any plan, you always have a look back and think 'are there things that we could have done differently?'. And the fact that you're asking the question of me, emphasises for me the kind of issues I need to clarify. But I would say that the difficulty and need that we have to understand is how we communicate on a single day. We need to be very clear with our country for the next six to nine months, regarding what we're asking them to do.

"If there is confusion at the end of the day you have to take responsibility for that if you're in government."