Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As I canvassed in the recent general election, it was clear to me that the level of anger, frustration and sheer disappointment that the public felt at the previous Government had not dissipated or subsided with time. People felt betrayed by promises forgotten. They were livid that relatives were waiting long hours or days on a trolley or months and years for essential procedures, or that people they knew were staying in a Travelodge or overcrowded accommodation to the extent of squalor or homeless shelters waiting desperately for housing.

All the talk of tax cuts, primarily for the wealthy, just infuriated them, when as a nation we cannot house or people or take care of those who are ill. It is no great surprise to me that Fine Gael in Cork South-Central polled approximately 26% of the vote, and, even with the Labour Party, the former Government polled only around 30%. In 2011, that was 53%. With respect to the Taoiseach, people in Cork South-Central did not vote for Deputy Enda Kenny as Taoiseach, yet this afternoon I was the only Deputy from my constituency to vote against him. Déanfar tréaniarracht sna seachtainí le teacht an dallamullóg a chur ar dhaoine faoin mbeart agus faoin gcomhaontas a rinne Fianna Fáil le Fine Gael. Déanfar iarracht a léiriú go bhfuil Fianna Fáil i measc lucht an fhreasúra ach i ndáiríre tá an Rialtas ag brath ar Fhianna Fáil níos mó ná mar atá siad ag brath ar aon duine eile chun go mairfeadh an Rialtas ar feadh na trí bliana atá aontaithe acu.

It will certainly be an interesting session, and those of us on the Opposition benches will have to work twice as hard not only to hold the official Government on the right hand side of the House to account but now also to hold the would-be government-in-exile on the left hand side of the House to account. We will certainly do that. As much as there will be an effort by Fianna Fáil to try to hoodwink people, their fingerprints are all over the leaked programme for Government. The document officially agreed by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael was a mere precursor - a trailer, even - for the leaked document. The contents of this deal would have been discussed in detail by the two parties. Unfortunately, the Independents are essentially the patsies for this deal, allowed to tweak it in parts after the biggest parties agreed it. They will recognise that in time.

A Government's legacy depends on what it delivers. Time will tell what that will bring, and I do not wish ill for this Government. I wish the Taoiseach and the appointed Ministers well. It is a special day for them and their families. The new Minister responsible for agriculture, Deputy Creed, has already started his job, strategically placing himself next to the Minister responsible for transport, Deputy Ross, where I presume he is lobbying for the N40 to be put back on the table.

The indications for this Government are not good, and the programme for Government will not come anywhere near dealing with the crisis in health. What has been committed to is essentially running to stand still. Water charges have been kicked down the road, but it seems they are not gone for good. The proposals to tackle the housing crisis will not solve it. Some of these proposals are the reason we are in our current position, encouraging speculation and pushing people who should be in social housing into the private rented market. Deputy Martin and Fianna Fáil are responsible for this programme for Government and many voters will be sorely disappointed and will even feel betrayed. Níl aon fhís ag baint leis an gclár Rialtais seo agus is beag fís atá ag baint leis an Rialtas seo ó Fhine Gael nó ó Fhianna Fáil. Rialtas Tadhg an dá thaobh atá ann.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are trying to put off the inevitable, because Irish politics is changing. For our part, Sinn Féin will continue to lead the genuine Opposition in the Dáil and work towards real change in Irish politics, which sorely lacking on this day in a first progressive Government.

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