Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In fairness to Deputy Higgins, I do not associate that kind of language ever with him, in many long and detailed discussions and political arguments. I want to be clear. In terms of the honour due to the gardaí, many of whom have lost their lives or suffered serious injury in defending this State, it would be wise for Deputy Coppinger to remove and resile from the figure of speech that she acknowledges she used of "calling off the dogs". Our gardaí are not to be referred to in those terms.

As regards what happened at Fingal County Council, where Deputy Coppinger and I had the privilege to serve as councillors, it is not right that the mayor of Fingal was obstructed by demonstrators from seeing her daughter in hospital. Deputy Coppinger should disassociate herself from those people.

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