Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

The Taoiseach knows this is a complete misrepresentation.

The Taoiseach is coming along as a sort of casual observer. It is as if he was coming along O'Connell Street, hearing that there were barrels down the back containing petrol bombs. The word was going around the Taoiseach's constituency that hooligans were going to mount an assault the next day. This was if he was an ordinary man on the street. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform will lecture everybody except those under his responsibility. He is a master at building a bogus argument and knocking it down.

This is not the fault of the Judiciary. The issue does not centre on law, punishment or the Judiciary, but on policing and enabling the Garda to do its job. It should be resourced to do this job properly. The Taoiseach should consider the figures.

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