Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

One of the reasons we are abstaining is that we do not like receiving ultimatums from any party that we should vote one way today or it will get off the pitch. We do not respond to that. As a result of this, of the activities which are going on and of the refusal of one party to recognise the rights of the other, we will be abstaining from this vote and withdrawing from the talks between the parties in order to facilitate an immediate agreement between them until they meet those particular requirements which we have requested today.

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