Dáil debates
Thursday, 21 June 2012
Turbary Rights
4:00 pm
Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
It did so in circumstances that were totally lawful and to enforce the laws of the State, but it was obstructed by the protesters from so doing. The numbers who had accumulated at the location required a deployment of members of An Garda Síochána so as to ensure the law was upheld and appropriate steps were taken. It is absolutely clear that what the Deputy and her colleagues are engaged in is provoking ordinary people to engage in conduct that is unnecessary and misleading them into believing the Government has not done everything possible at European Union level to implement the motion passed in this House, which is untrue. It is time the Deputy and her colleagues in the Technical Group worked out whether they are parliamentary democrats or perpetual street protesters encouraging others to engage in protest. Irrespective of the depth of feeling of those involved in protesting, we cannot have a situation where implementation of the law is compromised. Members who are elected as legislators have a particular duty to enforce laws either passed by this Parliament or that the State is obliged to meet as a member of the European Union. The Deputy cannot have it both ways. One cannot be both a law breaker and a law maker or encourage others while one is a law maker to break the law.
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