Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am shocked that he will now be the Minister with responsibility for rural development. If that is what he did to oifig an phoist, what will do to small farmers? What will he do to Tús workers? What will he do to the farm grant schemes? God help us all. I am very disappointed by the poor judgment shown. I know that he came out and said he would vote for the new Taoiseach to undermine the Minister, Deputy Simon Coveney, from the perspective of a rural constituency, but he is being shoved onto the people of rural Ireland. A man who comes from rural Ireland should know better, but he handled the post office issue appallingly. He could not wait to hand over the issue for Cabinet decision and dissociate himself from it. I do not look forward to what is going to happen.

I do look forward, however, to the Minister, Deputy Richard Bruton, who is laughing, dealing with DEIS schools in my constituency next year.

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