Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

-----to a Proclamation that said the Republic would cherish "all the children of the nation equally". The Democratic Programme of the First Dáil, which was drafted by Thomas Johnson, who was another leader of the Labour Party, said "it shall be the first duty of the Government of the Republic to make provision for the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of the children, to secure that no child shall suffer hunger or cold from lack of food, clothing, or shelter". That should be Labour's way, but patently it is not. The Tánaiste said that child benefit was a red-line issue for the Labour Party. The party's candidates advised people to vote for them if they wanted to protect child benefit. That is the mandate they were given. Therefore, they no longer have a mandate. That is the basis of tonight's vote of no confidence in the Government. It does not have a mandate for what it is doing. The Labour Party promised to end political cronyism. Fine Gael promised to bring about a democratic revolution. Since then, the Minister, Deputy Reilly - another millionaire Minister - has fixed the primary care list-----

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