Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

When I heard the Bill was coming before the House my first thought was that the Government would not oppose it even if it did not believe in it, because that is now the tactic of the Government. Prior to an election it does not tell people what it really thinks and then after the election it can ram things down their throats and tell them they are criminals if they try to do something about it, and they will forget about it until the next election. It makes me wonder if we would be better off if we had an election every year in this country, as then the people would be listened to.

We will hear what will happen with water charges after the election. The Government is consulting on pylons and it will tell us the result after the election. We will be told that natural heritage area, NHA, bogs are all right and we will all be fine until after the election. The reason I say that is that I have experience in this area. Deputy John O’Mahony, for example, said before the election in 2011 that people should go ahead and cut their turf, but within three weeks of the election - the cock had not even crowed - the terms that were being used about us were "bad citizens" and "criminals". Now the people have woken up to the fact that the Government plays this game. When I was out canvassing for the elections to the European Parliament today someone suggested - I had suggested it myself previously - that it is quite popular to look for world peace. I wonder will the Government promise it after the election because it thinks it might get some votes.

The core issue is that people should be consulted and if they want it they will get it and if they do not want it they will not get it. The Government’s tactic - in fairness, the previous Government did the same itself - is called DAD: decide, act and defend. It does not give a damn what people think. The people in the Taoiseach's constituency in Mayo are wise to him and they are awake. Fair dues to the people in the midlands; they have seen through it. They were nailed on the turf in the past and they are awake. The awakening is coming.

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