Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

-----namely, they should not do business here today. Also, Members were only handed this, or I was anyway, ten minutes before coming to the Chamber. The decision by the Government to introduce a motion of confidence in the Taoiseach is no great surprise. While that is fair enough, if Members have learned anything on these benches over the past four years it is about the arrogance and disrespect with which the Government treats the Oireachtas and the Dáil in particular. The absence of the Taoiseach today is yet one more example of that. The motion of confidence was predictable but the decision to abandon Taoiseach's questions was not. Members should remember it has been two months since the Dáil met and consequently they should have been given an opportunity to discuss issues of importance. There is an ongoing crisis in the North at present. I am sorry, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, but could I have the Chief Whip's attention?

See this speech in context