Cork TD calls for regional lockdowns should new Covid-19 clusters emerge
Independent T.D. for Cork Michael Collins has called on the government to introduce a regional lockdown if one area of the country such as Dublin has another outbreak of the coronavirus while other parts of the country do not.
Speaking on C103's Cork Today Show Mr Collins said different regulations should be imposed on different regions, including urban areas, depending on social distancing infringements.
Mr Collins was also critical of Taoiseach Micheál Martin's warning about the continued closure of pubs in Ireland.
Mr Collin's said: "The Taoiseach made a statement on Monday which was damaging and wrong in my view.
"Where he was saying he would have to look at continuing the closure of pubs from July 20 onwards those that don't serve food.
"I don't think it was a very measured or thought-through statement.
"I think maybe he should have said he'd consider closing the pubs in Dublin, in urban Ireland, longer than the ones in rural Ireland.
"Because unfortunately, these have turned out to be the main culprits of any issues or infringements that are out there."
Mr Collins thinks it is unfair to close rural pubs because of scenes last weekend in Dublin.
The Cork TD along with other rural TDs is calling for separate rules for rural and urban bars if another lockdown needs to happen.
He said this form of local lockdown should be in place like similar policies in the UK where Leicester was placed under quarantine following a Covid-19 outbreak he told C103.
He also said in relation to Minister for Agriculture Barry Cowen that Mr Cowen has apologised for his mistake he made a number of years ago.
