Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Be it in regard to fishing or the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, we are the laggards in Europe and are being treated like little schoolboys in the bold boys' corner who are told to luigh síos anseo agus bí ciúin and we obey them. Yesterday, we had the patent nonsense whereby apartheid is going to be introduced in this country to justify the approach taken by the Taoiseach to require people to be vaccinated if they want to go in to some places. It will be apartheid. We then have the cheek to lecture Poland and Hungary and other countries about what they are doing on other social issues. The Government should look in the mirror to see its own behaviour. It is disgusting in the extreme.

This week, we celebrate the end of the centenary of the War of Independence, which started in Soloheadbeg. I visited the area on Sunday, 100 years later. The Government should be ashamed because it is not representing the people of Ireland or doing its job in any shape or form, be it in fishing, the CAP or the pathetic, lethargic and inept effort it made to look for funding. Germany was spending the money six, eight or ten months ago. We applied for it in the last minute, got a pittance and accepted it. If the Government acts and behaves like that, it will be treated that way. It is the old adage of "Croppies lie down". It is shocking in the extreme.

I want the Government to assert itself at the next European Council meeting and, as a proud country, to look for our fair share, nothing more. We have not received our fair share of that funding in any shape or form. Why would we get it when we did not apply for it? We talk about implementing the green passport, which was being discussed in Europe in 2017 and 2018.

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