Dublin South West TD Paul Murphy says he welcomes the decision of the Social Democrats to support a ‘Zero Covid’ strategy.
He has also urged the main opposition party Sinn Fein to “throw their weight behind this approach” arguing that the government’s strategy so-far has failed.
The RISE Deputy said it is time instead for Ireland to follow countries such as Australia, Taiwan, Japan and New Zealand.
These countries have followed a different strategy to Ireland, and managed to control the virus much more effectively, and avoid so-called ‘yo-yo lockdowns’.
“The government wants people to believe there is no alternative to the lockdown yo-yo,” he said.
But we know from Australia, Taiwan, Japan, New Zealand and more that there is an alternative.
“For months now, the Independent Scientific Advocacy Group have been arguing for a Zero Covid strategy, something People Before Profit and RISE have vocally supported in the Dail.
“A socialist Zero Covid strategy can manage to suppress and control the virus by minimising community transmission, serious tracking and tracing of any outbreaks, and proper quarantining of those entering the country.
“As part of a Zero Covid strategy, we also need socialist policies to bail out workers affected by this crisis.
“This means restoring the €350 covid payment, providing sick pay and childcare leave for all workers, banning evictions and rent write-offs for individuals and small businesses who need it.
“It also means nationalising the private hospitals and taxing those billionaires and big businesses like Amazon who are making huge profits out of this crisis.”
“For too long the other opposition parties were silent on this, going along with the government’s yo-yo strategy and letting them off the hook.
“But there is a growing momentum for a Zero Covid strategy. This can be stepped up now if Sinn Fein would throw their substantial weight behind this approach.”