Donegal TD Padraig Mac Lochlainn has said that all residents of Donegal should not be tarred with the same brush in terms of Covid-19 compliance.
The Sinn Féin TD said there was “considerable anger” in Donegal following comments from CMO Dr Tony Holohan about the high incidence rate in the county on Friday.
Dr Holohan told a NPHET press conference that there were incidents in Donegal that “even the dogs on the street” know shouldn’t be happening.
NPHET expressed serious concern about Donegal, which prompted a virtual meeting last night between local politicians and Dr Holohan, Deputy CMO Dr Ronan Glynn and Health Minister Stephen Donnelly.
More walk-in test centres were promised for Donegal, particularly the Milford area, while a pilot antigen testing scheme was suggested for a local school.
Deputy Mac Lochlainn told Newstalk FM that the meeting was ‘useful’, but there was a mixed reaction to Dr Holohan’s comments.
Mac Lochlainn said: “There was considerable anger in Donegal in terms of everybody being lumped in together. The vast majority of people in the county have made huge sacrifices like everybody else across this island.”
Deputy Mac Lochlainn told Newstalk Breakfast with Susan Keogh that Donegal’s cases have fluctuated in recent months, like other counties, but there have been some issues in recent weeks that have to be put into context.
“It was useful to have the meeting, to look at how we can put in place extra supports, how we can communicate to that small minority that have let their guard down. I think there was some good ideas and hopefully in the next few weeks we’ll see it come to fruition,” he said.
Deputy Mac Lochlainn added that there is a “constant challenge to ask that small percent to hold the line until we get through this crisis until we can return to normality.”
