Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

I will take a lead from Deputy McCormack and speak as a Government backbencher who does not do the plinth but I am happy to contribute to and support the National Monuments (Amendment) Bill. I am pleased to note the presence of the Acting Chairman, Deputy Glennon, because I know if I am in any trouble and being heckled by anybody from the Opposition, he will protect me but it does not look like I will need that type of protection. I can only presume the various representatives of the Opposition parties have retreated to their offices and party rooms to study the results of the local and European elections to try to figure out why they did not do better in mid-term elections as was the norm across Europe. I do not want to rise Deputy Durkan, so I will park that point.

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