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

I wish to make the Tánaiste aware of the harm the Government and the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, supported by Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and many others in the Dáil, have done to the social fabric of rural Ireland and especially rural Kerry. He has closed down most of County Kerry and made smithereens of the social fabric people traditionally enjoyed.

I advise the Tánaiste to get into a car with the Minister, Deputy Ross, and his Minister of State, Deputy Griffin, any night and drive around the county to see the damage and mayhem the Government has caused with its Road Traffic (Amendment) Act. The Irish pub was known all around the world as a tourism attraction, a place of culture, traditional music, song and dance, story telling, a place where farmers and workers met to have a conversation, rich with characters who provided original entertainment. People such as Tom Cruise visited Loo Bridge. Sadly he would be unable to visit it again as it is closed. Many cities around the world have tried to replicate the Irish country pub but now people all around Kerry are afraid to go out and are like rabbits trapped in a burrow. Too far east is west. Does the Government have anyone measuring depression rates and how much extra is being spent on anti-depressant medication and mental health?

Pubs have closed down in every town and village already: Rathmore, Kilgarvan, Currow, Faranfore, Curran Scartaglen where Tom Flemming's pub was the nucleus of Slieve Luachra and Irish music, Kenmare, Sneem, Castleisland, Brosna, Knocknagoshel, Caherdaniel in Waterville, Cahersiveen, Killorglin and Glencar where even someone like Schumacher could not do more than 30 km/h. What has the Government done? It has stopped many people going out to socialise. It does not want people to have a car. One Deputy suggests that 30 or 40 people should get into one car. What kind of a batmobile does he propose? Will there be baby seats in it? The Government wants to stop people farming. Ye do not want them eating meat or cutting turf or timber to keep themselves warm. The Government might wake up and analyse the lunacy of its actions if oil became scarce for two or three months. The health service is in a shambles. Kenmare and Dingle hospitals are only half open. The Government gave €900 million for two treatment plants in Dublin. It is all about Dublin. There was €145 million in total expenditure for Kerry County Council for the year but there was €900 million for one project in Dublin.

What is the Government going to do about the people who are trapped and isolated in rural Ireland? I am asking the Government to provide a permit for people who are travelling only on local rural class three roads so that they can have their two pints and drive home on those roads. If they stray beyond those roads, then nail them, but the Government should give them a chance to live because all work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy.

See this speech in context