Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

He had the wrong door. There was silence from that one. There would be an echo.

As Members of Parliament with a mandate from the people, whether those inside or outside like it or not, we have a responsibility to the people who elect us. We then must represent those people and their best interests in the interests of the country and in the interests of the community at large. We, on all sides of the House, have done that.

It is also extraordinary that the majority of the membership of the House happens to be of the same opinion on the issue of the Lisbon treaty of reform. There are those who state that is not democratic enough——

See this speech in context