Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Clearly, the position of the Ministry and the Government has been about holding the line. It has been holding the line at European level with an eye to interests there and pharmaceutical interests in Ireland. That is what it has been about. There has been fudge and the use of language to kick the ball down the road. If we wait long enough, supply will not be an issue. What we wanted from the Government was urgent action and intervention. We wanted it to show leadership and be brave in this regard. These are the brave decisions the Government claims it takes, while stating that the Opposition is not fit for the tough decisions. These are the tough decisions the Irish people want the Government to take on their behalf. The people of Ireland are generous in their spirit. They want Ireland to lead on the international stage but the Government has failed to do so. That is completely shameful.

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