Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I accept that multinationals came here back in the 1980s and 1990s; they were in Clonmel. Merck Sharp and Dohme and other companies are doing great work. I am saying that 40 years on we need to review taxation. Why is the ordinary worker only paying 26% in Germany and 52% here? There are no tax havens for those multinational companies in Germany because they respect its people. We had a different issue regarding Germany last week.

The Taoiseach mentioned Seán Lemass. He and his Government colleagues bear no resemblance to those fine men and women of 1916 and 1921. None whatsoever. They have sold out to the EU. We see that with fisheries. Deputy Michael Collins has apologised for his absence from the House as he is standing this morning with the fishermen in Cork. We see it with our agricultural policy, as Deputy Murphy referenced. The Government is beholden to Europe and anybody that keeps it in power. All these organisations have too much access to the Taoiseach and his Ministers. The OECD has questions to answer as well. We need to come clean, open our eyes, be fair to our people and treat them with respect. The Taoiseach is some man to lecture about good democracy when he has trampled on democracy for the past 14 months and will do so again today by voting for more draconian measures. He has some cheek.

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