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Doctor and former minister James McDaid calls for under-35s to be excluded from lockdowns

Former Irish government minister James McDaid practices as a GP in Letterkenny
Former Irish government minister James McDaid practices as a GP in Letterkenny Former Irish government minister James McDaid practices as a GP in Letterkenny

FORMER Irish government minister and practising Donegal GP James McDaid has called for under-35s to be excluded from any future lockdowns.

Dr McDaid, who held several ministerial portfolios in Fianna Fáil governments, returned to work as a doctor in Letterkenny following his political career.

He said people under the age of 35 are generally fit and healthy and should therefore be excluded from future lockdowns so that resources could be focused on vulnerable people.

Dr McDaid also said the Republic’s National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) should be moved to a more “background role”.

He told Newstalk radio’s Pat Kenny Show said he disagreed with the decision to move to a Level 5 lockdown across the Republic.

He called for an open debate on the issue involving people on both sides of the argument.

“The only treatment under the prescription of NPHET has been lockdown, lockdown, lockdown,” Dr McDaid said.

He claimed repeated lockdowns were an indication that current government policy was not working and said he has written to ministers about his concerns.

“In the next lockdown, we should exclude the under-35s, the younger cohort. The lockdown should not apply to those people," he said.

“They’re fit, they’re healthy, they’re out and about and all of our resources should be focused on people who are vulnerable. We can do that; we can focus our protection.”

Dr McDaid added that the long-term treatment for the coronavirus pandemic should not be left to NPHET or the Irish government but should involve the people.