Dáil debates

Wednesday, 6 April 2016

Nomination of Taoiseach (Resumed)

 

3:50 pm

Photo of Mattie McGrathMattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is interesting that some of these people have been looking for my vote all week and they will be looking for it tomorrow as well. I thank the people of Tipperary for giving me a mandate. I, along with my five rural colleagues, Deputies Michael and Danny Healy-Rae and other Independents, are interested in forming a Government in response to the electorate who gave us a mandate to come in here. I am very disappointed because while we have been discussing, debating and teasing out all the issues, including policy documents, disagreeing, agreeing and doing our best with Fine Gael, Government officials and indeed Fianna Fáil, others chose to sit on the fence. I do not know why they went out in all weathers asking for votes and for people to elect when they sit on their hands.

It is very important that we form a stable Government because we are running out of time. It has been said here that 40 days and 40 nights have elapsed since the election. Of course, they have. The banks are still enforcing repossessions and people are homeless. There are 35 people on trolleys in a hospital in Clonmel today and the emergency department has nearly closed because it cannot cope. There is a significant crisis in many areas and the electorate is waiting anxiously and becoming tired. We listened to a lecture from the Tánaiste. I ask her, her ministerial colleagues and other Ministers, some of whom were not re-elected, to hand back their wages and take the normal salary of a Deputy and not to lecture us on what we should do and rehash the general election. I ask people to be responsible and, in respect of the vote they got from the people, to act positively to try to form a stable Government. To that end, I will continue my efforts for another week and no more. I will abstain today on the vote for An Taoiseach.

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