Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a dhéanamh leis na hAirí nua. I welcome and congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy McHugh, and thank him for his time as Government Chief Whip. I work with him on the Business Committee. He is always helpful and cordial. We have differences of opinion but always work well together. I welcome a bhean chéile freisin. I welcome Deputy Canney back as a Minister of State and I wish Deputy Kyne and the Minister, Deputy Bruton, well in their new roles. The Minister has Tipperary connections, and we thought he might look after us better regarding the DEIS schools in Tipperary town but he has failed spectacularly. He is a safe pair of hands, however.

I note the absence of the Minister, Deputy Ross, and his colleagues from the Independent Alliance, although the Minister of State, Deputy Halligan, has arrived. It shows something about the dysfunction-----

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