Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This is a serious issue and I will be very brief. It goes to the heart of whether the Dáil is relevant. The Government said it would introduce a democratic revolution and that there would be radical political reform. This was mentioned during the Seanad referendum debate but none of it is coming to pass. In fact, the trend is in the opposite direction. The Government is shutting down debate at every opportunity.

It is also to be noticed that the Government shuts down debate on the most politically contentious Bills, be they on the property tax, social welfare or matters such as the one in question, which concerns water charges and the transfer of water infrastructure. The original heads of the Bill-----

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