Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)

-----talking about by-elections and matters which are properly the realm of prosecutors and the Garda, who have done a very good job since the foundation of the State.

We should look at what the Portuguese Parliament did today. Why can the Labour Party not adopt the approach of the Portuguese Socialist Party which abstained in the budget vote in the national interest? We are not asking the Opposition to support us on these measures. It is a minority Government in Portugal. They are not spending half the day talking about by-elections or matters that are not relevant to securing the economic future of their country, the economic future of the eurozone, getting their people back to work and, in turn, helping to get our people back to work. If that example were followed in this country, we would have a far more productive system and a far more productive Parliament.

This proceedings in this Parliament today have been a waste of time. The only issues we should be discussing between now and the budget is the budget and how we can protect this country, and the eurozone.

See this speech in context