Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Más cuimhin leis an Taoiseach, chuir mé ceist air inné ag iarraidh air éirí as a phost agus bhí mé dáiríre faoi sin. An raibh seans ag an Taoiseach smaoineamh ar sin? An cuimhin leis freisin an méid a dúirt sé faoin ábhar tábhachtach seo?

Who said this: "to take away your rights to have a medical card beyond the age of 70, I reject it, the cheek of it, shame on them"? That was the Taoiseach talking about Fianna Fáil's attack on senior citizens and it is perhaps a perfect example of the view of the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources regarding election promises. Not only has the Government taken away the medical card from elderly people and others in dire need, it has cut income supports for young unemployed people, the bereavement grant, the telephone allowance, maternity benefit and the invalidity pension. It has attacked citizens from the cradle to the grave.

Not only does it insult the intelligence of these citizens, it shows no respect whatsoever for this Dáil. This Social Welfare and Pensions Bill, like a thief in the night, arrived into our pigeon holes overnight. It is to be rammed through in nine hours by the Government. We will have nine hours to debate a welfare Bill with huge implications and yet the Government says it is about political reform. Only last week, the Taoiseach promised a pre-legislative stage and less use of the guillotine. Obviously, he did not believe a word he said.

I again make the point that the Government has no mandate to do any of this. Fine Gael and the Labour Party sought a totally different mandate. People voted them in to do things differently from their predecessors, which is why yesterday I called on the Taoiseach and his Government to resign. I was not joking. I was serious. If the Government believes in what it is doing, it should go to the people and let them have their say. Will the Taoiseach resign and will the Labour Party and Fine Gael go to the people and seek a mandate for what they are doing?

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