Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

This matter is important because Ireland has been racked by insider circles for decades. Insider circles are not a victimless crime. They have a radical influence on the development of a society and everyone else's ability to live in that society. Either we call insider circles out or give licence to them. If we vote confidence in the Tánaiste, the Dáil will give licence to that type of behaviour. How will we be able to turn around to anyone else at any level of government or in the Civil Service if he or she does exactly the same thing in the future? The Fine Gael Ministers who are rallying around the Tánaiste know well that, if they did the same thing, they would be out the door without touching the ground. That is a fact.

I listened to Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, who has positioned himself recently as the conscience of Fianna Fáil - if that is not an oxymoron at this stage. The Deputy is basically like the grand old Duke of York, in that he has marched his troops to the top of the hill. Tonight's vote is his opportunity to put his money where his mouth is.

The Green Party is at a crossroads. Its Members can try to crowbar some level of ethics into this Government or it can get locked into the coalition's misgovernance for the next three years. Their actions tonight will define the Green Party for about a decade.

There has been much discussion today about the restrictions. Deputy Calleary and Phil Hogan resigned from their political jobs because they were seen to break the Covid restrictions that were in place at the time. Indeed, there is much discussion about the question of Mr. Justice Séamus Woulfe resigning from the Supreme Court. Did the Tánaiste break Covid restrictions in May by having friends over to the house he was staying in on the Farmleigh House estate for drinks?

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