Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Mar a dúirt mé níos luaithe, ní hé seo ach an ceathrú uair a tháinig an Dáil le chéile ón toghchán. Tá an pobal míshásta nach féidir le na seanpháirtithe teacht ar réiteach. Tá an pobal i gceart faoi seo.

We have heard, once again, the many virtues of the leaders of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and I no doubt everyone will consider these fine qualities when we come to vote, or not to vote. Of course, we will not consider or discuss the real world outside of this Leinster House bubble. We will not discuss the 1,972 citizens who have been on hospitals trolleys since the House last met, over 192 of whom were to be found at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in my constituency. This is the centenary of 1916 and we learned this morning that the homelessness figures doubled in February. There are 5,881 citizens, including 1,881 children, in emergency accommodation. Thousands more families are paying unsustainable mortgages and demanding action on water charges. However, this Dáil, led by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, decided that we will not discuss these issues. We will not discuss the plight of the children in the care of the State who are denied the protections they deserve.

Apparently, none of these issues were discussed in the talks between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. I do not believe that these are serious negotiations at all. Instead, what we are witnessing is the political leaders of the two largest parties trying to outmanoeuvre one another, putting personalities before country and egos before citizens' rights.

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