Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I agree with that, but a government does not get to stop at empathy. The Government does not get to empathise and then do nothing for people who are overwhelmed by a cost-of-living crisis, the likes of which we have not seen since the 1980s. It is the responsibility of Government to act because empathy without help or action is pity. Workers and families do not want the pity of Government; they want solutions and relief. They want a government that is fit and capable of doing its job.

Individually, each of these failures - a housing disaster, a never-ending health crisis and a refusal to fully tackle the unprecedented cost-of-living crisis - would warrant the sacking of the lot of them but these are three serious strikes against the Government. Three strikes and you are out - done, dusted, time to go.

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