Colm Keaveney (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State's job was to protect them. It will be a very sad day if we cannot have a debate in the House and acknowledge that what we are doing is wrong. The Minister of State knows deep down that it is wrong and he should not let these Tories twist his arm. He can do the right thing and leave a proud legacy. He was put into government to protect the most vulnerable and this is an opportunity to do so.

The Minister of State should think about the consequences for families, mainly women, who are already struggling. The impact on their pockets will be significant, no matter how we do the maths. This is going to leave a distasteful legacy among many other very difficult decisions the Government has had to make and it is completely unnecessary. It does not add to anything in terms of progression. I hear people in the corridors asking if the Labour Party has done a deal to sell Aer Lingus. Let us not politicise this issue. The Minister of State should man up and protect the people in question. There is a wonderful opportunity to slow down this measure on Committee Stage, listen to stakeholders and do the right thing.

See this speech in context