Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I was going to say that I welcome this report, but I do not because this consultative forum should never have been engaged with. There was a four-day roadshow and fanfare for the Tánaiste, Deputy Micheál Martin, 16 panels and a dame from the House of Lords to chair the forum. Was there no one fit to chair it in an tír seo? This man is running it by himself. I know now why he appointed Deputy Lawless chair of the committee on foreign affairs. He is another supporter and cheerleader of damaging our neutrality. He can spare us the history lessons of Wolfe Tone.

As I said, the forum was unnecessary and unwarranted. People who attended were turned out by gardaí because they asked something that was not permitted. It was contrived, controlled and totally stage-managed. I am glad people protested. I do not normally protest but I am glad those people did. They saw it for what it was, a phoney situation.

It fits better to support our soldiers and give them proper pay and conditions. Deputy Howlin referred to a figure of €30 million for all these projects he is going to complete. He is going to buy planes and build navy ships for €30 million. He is talking through his absolute you-know-what. That is what he is. We should respect our Army and support it, and respect our neutrality. We do not need to be all over Europe and the world on the global stage. We need to look after the people at home. There is an invasion going on quietly here and we cannot even have a debate about it in this Chamber. I am talking about the uncapped numbers of migrants and everybody else coming into the country. We will not talk about it all, but the Tánaiste wants to have a consultative forum. Why will he not have one on that? What is going on here is being talked about in every public house, workplace and car taking people to work, at every meeting and in every household. The Tánaiste has his súile dúnta. We are far-right if we mention it. I remember the Far East magazine that I used to get for my late mother. Now we are far-right, all of a sudden. I do not mind what they call us. We must stand up for our country, stay neutral, look after ourselves and look after our Army and Navy. They do not have the boats, ships and personnel to stop a stag party from coming in here, never mind an invasion or anything else. We are neutral and proud of it. It is time the Tánaiste stopped undermining that neutrality. We are neutral militarily but not politically, he says. Did you ever hear the like of it? New grammar is being introduced every day of the week.

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