Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

The Labour Party has two words for the Government and in response to every contributor to this debate. I thank every Deputy who has spoken, including those on the Government side like the Minister of State. They entered the House with their tails between their legs, but at least they were prepared to say something, unlike the missing hundred or so who have returned to the legions of the rearguard and are hiding in the bar somewhere until the vote is called. The Minister of State is welcome.

Our two words on the legislation are simple, namely, "withdraw" and "redraw". We want the Bill and the proposal withdrawn. The latter was put on the table at the 11th hour of the negotiations, on which the Taoiseach deemed sufficiently important to spend weeks while the country waited with baited breath for a resolution to the various crises besetting us. We want the proposal withdrawn in a way that reflects the fact that many of us cling to the notion that we are one society on one island.

See this speech in context