A Fianna Fáil TD has hit out at the decision to push outdoor sporting events behind closed doors.

The decision was announced last night as part of a range of new guidelines aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus.

It has caused widespread anger in sporting circles and the GAA has called on the Government to bring forward “empirical evidence” linking COVID-19 clusters to outdoor sports.

Fianna Fáil TD for Cork North Michael Moynihan. Image: Fianna Fáil

On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Fianna Fáil TD for Cork North Michael Moynihan said it is “fierce important” that the public buy into the COVID strategy and said he believes that, as of last night, “the public are very much not with it.”

“Over the last couple of weeks, all the GAA clubs organised the Cúl camps and they were of huge benefit to the community, they were of huge benefit to the kids involved and they were of huge benefit to families,” he said.

“We need an evidence basis for the decisions that are being made. People are looking for clear guidance in relation to the decisions that were made yesterday – people will take it on board if there is clear evidence.

“But where is the evidence to show that because of sporting events going on in the last few weeks that there has been a spike or a rise at the games?”

Clusters

Around 1,250 new cases have been confirmed in the last two weeks; however, up to 40% were “directly or very closely related” to clusters in meat factories and Direct Provision centres.

The acting CMO Dr Ronan Glynn said other clusters around the country may well have been feeders of those.”

Deputy Moynihan said the public has done “everything they asked us to do” over the last six months and noted that people will continue to do the right thing if the evidence is there.

“The public cannot understand the logic of the sporting games being held behind closed doors,” he said.

Devastating

He said yesterday’s announcement will be devastating for “dye in the wool supporters” of local GAA clubs and for parents who will not be permitted to watch their children play.

“Under any circumstances, I cannot understand what is the connection between having 200 people at a sporting event and the spikes,” he said.

“I cannot understand it for the life of me and that is hugely important.”

Main image shows the Moorefield Senior Football Squad training in Newbridge, Kildare, 24-06-2020. Image: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile