Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I commend Deputies Shortall and Naughten on their clarity and courage of conviction and of truth. There is a feeble attempt at something in this legislation, and while I do not wish to sound dismissive of an attempt in any way, I must be honest and state it is a feeble attempt. I wish to speak in the language I would use with my family, whom I respect, about these matters. This is my mandated and serious family of 166 people. I am not in the business of playing with words, but I am here because I put myself forward as honestly as I could as a candidate for Dáil Éireann. The mode of conveyance was the Fine Gael party, which I thought still had the remnants of The Just Society and all that went with that, but my experience has been disappointing. I did not seek trouble but was hoping to help mend the mess in this country because of the dark clouds of what one can only describe as occult behaviour that are coming across one's horizons at present in little glimpses. I refer to the Central Remedial Clinic, Rehab and so on, but as Deputy Shortall mentioned them all earlier, I will not go through them. However, it is shockingly disappointing. Were Members serious about reform in the area of this Bill, they would start with a clean slate. They would ask what they wished to do in this regard. Members would note the House has 166 people who are dedicated to parliamentary arrangement and work for the people of Ireland, would note that they need resources and would start from scratch. Instead of this, Members are tinkering with stuff dishonestly under a pretence. Deputy Naughten put in more hour power on the Joint Committee on Health and Children than anyone else. While on the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, I-----

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