Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Fianna Fáil will, of course, continue to peddle the line that it is not in the interests of citizens to have an election. What that really means is that it is not in Fianna Fáil's interests. It suits it to have a weak Government in power that it put there in the first instance. Now it complains that Sinn Féin would not talk to it in the aftermath of the general election. It is absolute nonsense. We talked to all parties and Independents who would engage with us.

Teachta Martin will recall Sinn Féin saying that in the interests of delivering change, we were willing to talk to Fianna Fáil. Indeed, it is Fianna Fáil which refused to talk to us. Contrary to what he said during the general election, the Fianna Fáil leader put the Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, back into power. This is the same de factodeputy First Minister of this Government, Deputy Micheál Martin lambasted Martin McGuinness for taking a principled stand and resigning because he would not put up with the behaviour which had brought the North's institutions into disrepute just as the Government's behaviour has brought the Oireachtas into disrepute. I call on all Deputies to exercise their mandates and to vote against the Government motion.

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