Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left) | Oireachtas source

The reason it was able to get away with it is because we do not have a proper system of democracy or democratic or political rights here. People get a chance to put a vote in a ballot box and elect people who enter office and do the opposite of what they promised. That is why we need to enshrine these rights in our Constitution or legislation, in a similar fashion to the right to education. It does not mean that people get such rights but rather it means that sometimes they can go to courts to try to exercise those rights for their children. That is something that will give them a greater tool in their armoury when they are trying to stand up and fight for their rights in this country. The facts and economic statistics prove why that is necessary under this Government.

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