Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Of course. I always call him the Minister. He is the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government but he was in Doha when we discussed the matter in the budget. That is how much he cared about the ordinary people and the home owners in a perilous position. The Taoiseach did not help this morning when Deputy Boyd Barrett tried to raise the issue. He scoffed, laughed, joked and sneered about standing at some tree, looking at a house in the distance with tinted glasses. I did not know what he was talking about. The Taoiseach must return to reality quite fast as he and some of his Ministers - although not all - are on an ego trip. The adrenaline has been evident since this time two years ago, when the parties got into power.

The Government parties must face reality or they will find out the feelings of the public. I hate mentioning this on the day when the by-election writ was moved following the death of Deputy Shane McEntee, who was a friend. The Government will get answers if the letters arrive before the canvassing leaflets. I suppose they will not arrive before the leaflets. Maybe there will be a phone call to the Revenue Commissioners to back away. The enforcers are in charge and the little people do not matter any more. The people up the tree-lined avenues with daffodils interest those enforcers. They are the mansions. My colleague, Deputy Tom Fleming, mentioned Michael Flatley, who is nimble-footed and a good little dancer. The Government representatives will be dancing in public when they meet the people because they are waiting. I hope the Government has good dancers and runners because they will be getting it. I do not say this for fun but people are in a perilous position.

I was in the home village of the Chief Whip in Wexford last night. The people there cannot find him because he is too busy in Dublin, or so he says. They will find him because he will have to knock on doors again. The property tax will meet the Government in the face and it will not be a case of "Mary, how are you, how are you doing, how are things?" It will get its answers.

The Minister's party has always treated the ordinary people with disdain, even going back to the time of shirts of a different colour. I will not mention them but he knows what I am talking about. The party has not changed its spots, which is a pity.

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