Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)

In the past two months the Sinn Féin Party has performed more stunts than Evel Knievel. From doctoring quotes from respected academics to last-minute publicity hungry court actions to this Bill tonight, it appears there is a common thread. We are using valuable Dáil time on a Bill that does not deserve to be called legislation. To call this piece of paper legislation gives this House a bad name. This, like many recent antics from Sinn Féin in this Chamber and beyond is about the next leaflet drop, campaign and opinion poll. The absence of any genuine political engagement on the issue of the charge exposes the complete and utter paucity of Sinn Féin policy on this and other critical matters of social and economic importance.

There is a grand deception at the heart of this approach. Sinn Féin puts party before country and to hell with the consequences. This Bill is Sinn Féin at its self-indulgent worst. The streak of toxic dishonesty that it brings to the debate pollutes and poisons the political atmosphere. It simply does everyone a disservice. Sinn Féin would rather play on people's fears than work with them for a better future. Its quest for power reminds me of the dog that chases the car - he would not know what to do with one if he caught it. On some occasions, the dog is so focused on catching the car, he eventually gets run over.

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