Michael McNamara TD

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Living with Covid cannot be reduced to a Health v Wealth argument – 24 Feb 2021

Government needs to plan for all eventualities because an indefinite lockdown throughout 2021 is not sustainable nor is any future return to lockdown. – 15 Feb 2021

Some mainstream media coverage in Ireland is adding to the high levels of stress and anxiety amongst the population. – 5 Feb 2021

I again raised the issue of antigen testing in the Dáil. – 3 Feb 2021

The Government must expand the use of rapid antigen tests, which can detect when people with COVID-19 are infectious as opposed to the detection of persons who are no longer infectious. – 28 Jan 2021

Role of Vitamin D in the fight against Covid – 28 Jan 2021

I spoke about the prohibitive cost of challenging administrative decisions by Government Departments in the courts which puts it beyond the reach of most homeowners and farmers in Ireland. – 27 Jan 2021

I asked the Minister for Health how many people who have contracted Covid have been vaccinated and whether it is proposed to vaccinate such people in light of the suggestion that they may enjoy some protection arising from their previous infection. – 21 Jan 2021

In light of the UK Government offering free vitamin D supplements to 2.7 million vulnerable people across England, I asked the Tánaiste if a similar initiative could be considered in Ireland. – 14 Jan 2021

Essential workers who recently contracted Covid but have since recovered and are no longer infectious are being unnecessarily prevented from traveling, as I explained to the Tánaiste today. – 14 Jan 2021

I questioned the Health Minister about prioritising the vaccination of persons in receipt of home care and their carers; the winter flu; and rapid antigen detection tests. – 13 Jan 2021

In the Dáil today, I outlined why I am opposed to the CETA and Mercosur agreements – their impact on Irish agriculture, food standards, the environment and investor-state dispute settlement mechanisms. – 16  Dec 2020

Data on mental health is inadequate. The HSE and Irish College of Psychiatrists need to explain why, given they receive taxpayers’ money to collect and collate it. Data on suicide is adequate because of the lack of a centralised coroners’ database, a shortcoming highlighted 20 years ago – 9 Dec 2021

I raised the issue of testing at airports and NPHET’s insistence that only PCR testing is acceptable. Airports in other EU countries are using rapid antigen testing. 11 Nov 2021

I spoke on RTÉ Primetime about the impact of Level 5 restrictions on retailers. – 30 Oct 2020

I spoke to Claire Byrne on RTÉ today about the potential introduction of further restrictions in Ireland. – 9 Oct 2020

I spoke on RTÉ Radio’s ‘Late Debate’ programme about the urgent need to address hospital capacity, the Leaving Certificate grade errors and the public reaction to Golfgate. – 2 Oct 2020

On Newstalk this evening speaking about the final session of the COVID-19 Committee. – 30 Sept 2020

As Ireland continues to combat COVID-19, we must not lose sight of the impact it is having on mental health. – 30 Sept 2020

I asked the HSE about the risk of false positives and false negatives in PCR testing. Dr. Colm Henry, Chief Clinical Officer with the HSE, said “One of the problems with this test is that it can pick up a residual RNA weeks after active infection and after a person is no longer infectious.” – 29 Sept 2020

Four months on from former Health Minister, Simon Harris, T.D., admitting that the Mid West has been failed for decades in terms of bed numbers, I sought an update from the HSE on hospital capacity in the region. – 29 Sept 2020

At today’s COVID-19 Committee meeting, I questioned Dr. John Cuddihy of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre about the current system of recording COVID cases and deaths in Ireland. – 29 Sept 2020

Concluding comments from today’s meeting of the Dáil COVID-19 Committee, featuring Prof. Sam McConkey, Dr. Johan Giesecke, Dr. Tomás Ryan and Prof. Kirsten Schaffer discussing strategic options for using the Government Plan to eliminate community transmission of COVID-19 in Ireland. – 23 Sept 2020

How many Health Ministers does it take to change a health service? – 16 Sept 2020

Michael McNamara Irish TD – Covid-19 Legislation – 3 Sept 2020

A proportionate response to all risks is essential. No evidence to support the singling out of pubs over, for example, meat plants in the State’s response. – 28 Aug 2020

I questioned Health Minister Stephen Donnelly about the medical basis for threatening another lockdown and whether he foresees its consequences. – 26 Aug 2020

Alan Irvine and Martin Varley of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) outlined today that Tier 2 hospitals have a vital and enlarged role to play in providing medical care post-COVID. –  2 June 2020

The cost of conducting COVID-19 tests in Ireland is €200 per person. This requires explanation given a virus swab test typically costs in the region of €25 per person. – 27 May 2020

In Dáil Éireann today, I questioned Minister for Health Simon Harris on nurses pay, private hospital capacity and why the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) is not receiving advice from a mental health expert. – 14 May 2020

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