Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have full confidence in my friend and colleague, the Minister, Deputy McEntee. I am proud of her and proud of her work.

The Irish people wanted political leaders to stand united behind the gardaí, behind our Minister for Justice and against the thugs who set this city alight. The Minister wanted to park politics. She picked up the phone and offered that to the leader of the Opposition, but she was refused. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, and the Government support the Garda. We stand with them and with Garda families.

Contrast that with Deputy McDonald, a Deputy who threw a party for a man who collected a Garda killer from the prison gates, a Deputy who would appoint to Cabinet people who have been arrested and charged for abusing gardaí and people who have evaded the arrest of the Garda. Such people are sitting on the Sinn Féin benches. Deputy McDonald wanted people to #MakeTheChange and vote for a "popular and respected member of his community". That person turned out to be the waterboarding torturer, Jonathan Dowdall. What pathetic judgment.

Sinn Féin has had a good run, but people are starting to see that nothing is more important to Sinn Féin than Sinn Féin.

Wherever the wind blows, Sinn Féin goes. It is in favour of increased health budgets but promises less than the Government delivers. It is in favour of home ownership while opposing every support we put in place to help people buy their own homes. It is in favour of building more houses while opposing 800 houses in this city alone this year. It is in favour of tackling climate action while opposing every action we need to take. It is pro-European but it voted against every referendum on Europe, including the one to join. Apparently it is pro-free media despite 18 legal actions being taken by its party and God knows how many other legal letters sent.

The Irish people can see through it because on the big issues and on the big days one thing is consistent, it is always on the wrong side. People want unity, Sinn Féin wants division. Sinn Féin is now following the populist book, a playbook that elected a reality TV star as President of the United States and sent Nigel Farage to Europe. Maybe Mary Lou could join them on the next reality TV show, "I'm a populist, get me out of here". Sinn Féin attacks the media and demonises and dehumanises its opponents. It calls for heads. It offers no solutions. It exploits every crisis and this is the worst example of it. Sinn Féin's priority is, and only ever will be, Sinn Féin.

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