Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all contributors to this debate. It is instructive that not one Government backbencher came to the House to attend the debate, not to mind speak on it. Not a single member of the famed Independent Alliance came to the Chamber to make a contribution or even observe the debate that was going on. I have reached the conclusion that the Government is in denial. With the greatest respect to the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, and the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, we had two robotic speeches. They simply read out Civil Service scripts which seemed to have no meaning or understanding.

See this speech in context