Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I resent the Minister's tone, attitude and patronising statement suggesting that I do not understand the haulage industry. I have worked in it. I have loaded lorries and been a passenger in lorries, although I have never driven them. I have repaired lorries. I understand the axles, the calibration and the suspensions now used. How dare the Minister make such a statement? He has probably never been in a haulier's yard in his life, let alone in a truck. He should take a spin in a truck along the road from Mallow to Mitchelstown to see for himself. It just goes to show the Dublin-centric carry-on of the Minister.

I am a member of Farm Contractors Ireland, FCI. I am a contractor and I declare that here and now. I know plenty about them. Deputy O'Keeffe mentioned the fatalities. Farmers are under pressure. They are getting grants for bigger slurry tanks while the contractor cannot. The Government is encouraging dangerous practices. No one has the tractors to run them. The FCI maintains a high standard. It continuously educates its members. It requires proper brakes, proper tyres and safety measures.

I will take no lecture from the Minister or his cabal in this Dublin-centric Cabinet that knows nothing about rural Ireland. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister to leave it alone, and he should. I am in favour of road safety. I have no issue with road safety. I was referring to cases where a lorry, which was tested and found to be in perfect condition, enters a bad stretch of road and leaves out of calibration. It is like shooting fish in a barrel. That is what I totally resent. I support the drivers and the hauliers. I know plenty about lorries.

Was the Minister ever in a cattle truck? Was he ever in Mullinahone? He was not. A man who has never been to Mullinahone has never travelled at all. He probably has not been outside the Pale. I had enough of his arrogance when I saw him fire out the 300 pages of the programme for Government and ask that people read it in an hour. He is getting away with it but there are people waiting in the long grass for him including the contractors, the farmers including those who have experience of fatalities, and many other people. How dare the Minister suggest what he suggested? I know plenty about road haulage. I support the hauliers and they know that I do. They know that the Minister knows sweet ... I could say another word but I will not. I was not going to say the F-word but I could because it applies to most things about the Ministers, Deputies Murphy and Harris, and the Taoiseach. They know nothing about rural Ireland and care about it even less. The Minister for Finance adopted a patronising attitude to tell me that I am not in favour of road safety and that I know nothing about the Irish Road Haulage Association. How dare he?

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