Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I must declare an interest before I make my contribution. I thank the Deputies who instigated this debate and all those who organised the protest today. I welcome anything that will make the Government wake up to the problem that we have. I am sick of reports and studies and everybody talking about the problem. The issue is simple. I may take a slightly different approach to other Deputies who made contributions. I will not jump up and down and point a finger at the Minister or anyone else or say this is all his fault. That is not the way to deal with a problem. There are many practical, sensible solutions and all sides of the House know what they are. I fail to understand why the Minister at the Cabinet table or the officials in the Department do not have a more practical, workperson-like way of dealing with this problem. I am not being simplistic about it. It happens to be a topic I know a lot about. Earlier today, I heard a Member state that certain categories of people should not be allowed to contribute to the debate or talk about the problem.

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