Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

The Government has no respect for this Chamber, its Opposition voices or the normal debate that should be part and parcel of the democratic institution of the Houses of the Oireachtas.

The Government is pressing ahead with guillotining four more Bills, following on everything it has rammed down the people's throats these past few weeks. It is an outrageous approach. The House will rise today when community development projects across this State are in absolute turmoil because the Government has given notice they are to cease operation from the end of this month.

That is a wonderful Christmas message for the people at the coalface of dealing with the most marginalised and needy in society. Not only has the Government cut social welfare payments and taken from public service workers, the buffer of community development projects, built up over many years, and the supports they provide, which will be needed more than ever, will be undermined. Deputy Ó Snodaigh's request under Standing Order 32 was giving voice to the countless organisations that will be affected up and down the country. What sort of message goes out that the Dáil will not debate the impact of these cuts. It is not about coming back on 13 January 2010. We should not be rising for Christmas but be back in business next week to deal with this urgent matter the Taoiseach does not want to address in the House.

See this speech in context