Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to express confidence in the Tánaiste and the Government. This motion has been manufactured by those in Sinn Féin who pretend to have morals and principles. It is from a party whose actions continue to belie its public statements in this House. Sinn Féin talks about credibility while, on the other hand, it protects and rewards its inner circle. It talks about a cosy boys’ club while it cosies up to tax cheats and subversives. Ask the family of Robert McCartney who protects that party's elites and untouchables? Ask former Senator Máiría Cahill or Paudie McGahon about the kangaroo courts, its lies and deceit? It is no wonder Sinn Féin wanted to abolish the Special Criminal Court.

Sinn Féin is the anti-partition party which uses partition to its distinct advantage in circumventing rules and ethics. It is a party that claims Covid-19 payments in the North and sits in the Oireachtas in the South. It has those who had €10,000 resting in their bank accounts for six months while tricking the Irish public into believing that they are on the average industrial wage. This comes from the richest party in our State.

To be a former president of Sinn Féin one must call a tax cheat “a good republican”. The current party president uses the words “a very nice man”. Three words sum up the corruption and lies of Sinn Féin - Research Services Ireland. This was a bogus company set up to siphon taxpayers’ money for the cosy boys in Sinn Féin in the North. Thirty-six MLAs claimed more than £700,000 through this company which was run by the Sinn Féin finance department, with mileage and expenses galore. The only problem was that after 11,500 miles were clocked and £5,000 pocketed, one of the cosy boys did not even drive. A central services company was used because other research facilities could not be used, as the work was deemed too sensitive. After all, in Sinn Féin the untouchables must be protected.

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