Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I challenge the view that politics is undermined. Outstanding candidates from all parties presented themselves on the ballot paper for the first time and endorsed, by their courage, the political system. What Deputy Sherlock said is nonsense.

Deputy Sherlock should also be careful when he interprets the outcome for the Labour Party. Support of 14% is not a massive endorsement, given that we are in the teeth of the worst economic storm the country has ever experienced.

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