Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

We in the Social Democrats decided to abstain on each of the votes for Taoiseach today because we did not see an outcome to start with and we felt this was, essentially, postponing the inevitable. We do not have to like the results of an election but as democrats we must accept them. The reality is this issue is both mathematical and political. The mathematical point is that the two large blocs of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael between them got sufficient numbers to form a Government.

There is a political element as well. Part of the reason this country is polarised is the political direction it has taken, not just in the past five years but in the past 20 years or more.

It is no surprise we have a housing and homelessness crisis because it comes down to political failure. It is no surprise there is a problem with white collar crime and corruption because there has been an approach of light-touch regulation. In recent days, the Panama files have shown evidence of that international relationship in which, unfortunately, Ireland has played a part.

In some of what has happened today, there has been a lecturing tone about responsibility. There is a responsibility for creating some of those crises, including housing, health, the lack of prosecutions for white collar crime, and the absence of disability services. Essentially, we want to play a constructive role whereby we will stop this Punch and Judy type of politics. However, a programme is needed for the Dáil as well as for Government if there is to be an involvement for the polarised Dáil that citizens have elected. It is polarised because society is polarised and we have ended up with a very unequal society. Some of that concerns the lack of progressive budgeting and the extent of child poverty.

We ran seeking a mandate for a strong economy, honest politics and a fair society. We must interpret our mandate in terms of what we do, but we want to play a constructive role. We believe such a role is within a Dáil with a programme to take a broad strategic approach to health, housing, corporate governance, child poverty, crime and many other issues. We must take a strategic approach while acting constructively if the Government pursues those issues in the interests of the country.

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