Watch: ‘Call me a liar’ – Labour leader clashes with Taoiseach in Dáil

Alan Kelly claimed Micheál Martin had told him that teachers would not have to restrict their movements for five days under the new Covid household contact rules

‘Call me a liar’ – Labour leader Alan Kelly and Taoiseach clash in the Dáil

Labour leader Alan Kelly has challenged Taoiseach Micheál Martin to call him out as a liar.

It came during tense exchanges in the Dáil over what was said during an off-microphone conversation about Covid-19.

The pair became embroiled in a Dáil spat after Mr Kelly claimed Mr Martin had told him that teachers would not have to restrict their movements for five days under the new Covid household contact rules.

Mr Martin later denied he had said this during a 40-second conversation in the chamber on Tuesday evening.

Raising the difference of opinion during Leaders' Questions, Mr Kelly said: "I know you are very annoyed about it because you messed up... you even denied we had a conversation in here, which makes you look silly.

"If you want to call me a liar, call me a liar."

Mr Kelly added: "I have been in this House a few years and have never been accused by anyone of telling porkies, let alone the Taoiseach."

Labour leader Alan Kelly says the Taoiseach told him that teachers would be exempt from the five-day isolation. He says the Taoiseach denied having a conversation with him, ‘which makes you look rather silly considering there’s a video of it’. | Read more: https://t.co/cBQxDwNmsb pic.twitter.com/s82lVc3v4e

— RTÉ News (@rtenews) November 17, 2021

The remarks prompted Mr Martin to tell Mr Kelly to "cool it" and "keep your voice down".

Mr Kelly went on to accuse Education Minister Norma Foley of "going AWOL". 

Taking aim at Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, he said: "You’re so embarrassed by the Minister for Health that he hasn’t been seen at a press conference with you for over a year.”

Mr Martin responded by stating that he learns something new every day in his political life, telling Mr Kelly: “I learned something about you yesterday that I will not forget and that will govern our relationship from here on”.

Mr Martin went on to accuse Mr Kelly of being "populist" for calling for the prioritisation of teachers in the booster campaign.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin says he ‘learned something’ about Alan Kelly yesterday which he won’t forget. ‘I’ve never seen the likes of it before,’ he says, referring to Mr Kelly’s claim that he told him teachers would be exempt from isolation rules. | https://t.co/cBQxDwNmsb pic.twitter.com/6He8NRqsGT

— RTÉ News (@rtenews) November 17, 2021

"The bottom line is this: NIAC has advised as to the cohort that should get the booster. Why? Who is in the ICU departments at the moment? Those in the ICU departments are the immunocompromised, the unvaccinated, people with underlying conditions and those in older age cohorts," Mr Martin told the Dáil.

Separately, Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald claimed there was a lack of leadership in relation to forward planning on Coivd-19.

"The surge in Covid-19 numbers did not happen overnight," she said. 

"Public health officials have been ringing the alarm bells loudly for weeks. That is why it is so very difficult to understand the Government’s dithering, delay, and indecision on antigen testing, the resourcing of our health services, and on the booster vaccination campaign," Ms McDonald told the Dáil.

She said the late-night sector, which includes nightclubs, had been effectively shut down at short notice by the new restrictions and pressed Mr Martin on PUP supports.

However, Mr Martin said Ms McDonald's party has been "running with the hare and hunting with the hounds" when it comes to Covid.

He said the Government has supported industry and businesses throughout the pandemic to an unprecedented scale.

"We will continue to engage with the night-time economy, in this case, in respect of the supports such as the Covid-19 restrictions support scheme, CRSS, we have made available.

"The challenge now, as we move through different phases of the pandemic, is that we must assess the most appropriate response to that increased socialisation."