Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Whatever about Fianna Fáil's slightly abstentionist approach to this issue, there are deep underlying problems in getting a legislative programme through the House and having Opposition Deputies dealt with in accordance with their mandates and the respect due to everyone in the Chamber. That includes the issues we invariably raise on the Order of Business which are related to legislation or programme for Government commitments which have not been honoured or acted on by the Government. An example is the request I have consistently made for a debate on the North. Is it not important? Is it not serious? The Taoiseach acknowledged the last time I raised this the series of incidents that had occurred. Some issues have been made worse by the election of a Tory Government in London. The Taoiseach said we needed to do this. On health services, the Taoiseach cannot blame the media. Media coverage is likely to be of the little debacle we have had for the past hour as opposed to the serious issues raised during Leaders' Questions.

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