Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)

Not too long ago, when the Green Party was on this side of the House, I heard several of its Deputies describe the use of this type of phraseology by Ministers as bluff and bluster. Look where it is coming from now. Motorists have no option but to use cars as the Minister has frequently pointed out. Public transport is available in only a small number of narrow streams in the State. Under such circumstances, it is grossly unfair to penalise motorists to this extent.

When one hears the Minister articulate his case, one fully understands the reason he decided to filibuster and waffle to try to prevent Opposition Deputies from making their views heard. If he wanted to be fair and reasonable, he should have negotiated with his Government colleagues to give the Opposition additional time to debate the issue. We would then have happily listened to the four-page, slowly delivered diatribe to which we were subjected. I had better make way for other speakers.

See this speech in context