Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Everybody grows up with and is entitled to his or her good name. However, my good name and the good names of many other politicians are being taken from us. A friend of mine who is a lecturer in history in one of the two great universities in Britain, not Hull, has stated that a political system nowadays simply cannot meet the demands of an electorate. Eventually, the electorate will look for a strong leader. In the 1930s the people got a strong leader, because he told them what they wanted to hear.

All I am saying is this is a democratic republic, but it is a race to the bottom on the part of people who will do their best to undermine the State.

There is now a beautiful building at Roscommon County Hospital. Everyone said it would close and that people would die, but, instead, they are much safer. I invite any Deputy, Senator or member of RTE to come to have a look at the lovely new building, the first of three projects worth €20 million. However, nobody there will say they got it wrong. We got it wrong and will admit that we got it wrong. I hope we will now get it right.

See this speech in context