Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I asked a question which the Taoiseach did not answer, namely, how high his bar is when it comes to his candidate playing the race card. In the same interview, Ms Murphy claimed that ISIS may have infiltrated three year olds who come to this country. My nieces and nephews live in the Taoiseach's neck of the woods and do not experience racism in their schools in Mulhuddart and Blanchardstown. The race card will be played in order to deflect attention from the mortal sins of the Government, which has made a complete hames of the housing crisis and has utterly failed to address the health crisis. People are screaming for mental health services and places in schools. We have never had as much wealth in the country. Ireland is the fastest growing economy in Europe, and this issue is being used to deflect attention from the Government side of the House. I again ask the Taoiseach how high his bar is when it comes to his candidates using racist language. Would he not immediately say that this is not on and that the candidate has been deselected? Furthermore, Ms Murphy needs to be deprogrammed, which will take longer than the two weeks which will elapse before the by-election takes place. What Ms Murphy said is utterly shameful. I have listened to and appeared on television programmes with her. When it comes to the Irish Road Haulage Association she is forensic in her information, thoughts and ideas.

See this speech in context