Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

-----to have access to disability services. It is not a fairy tale to be able to own a home in this country. None of these things should be considered fairy tales. The problem is that on this journey the Taoiseach was speaking about, of going from deficit to surplus, people have been left behind. When we have that surplus the Government is not using it to address those issues. It is not even willing to acknowledge that they are issues.

We need a real change in Ireland, the kind that can only be brought about by a general election. We need to give people in this country a say in who will be the next person to lead it, who will form the next Government and what its mandate will be. A change in leadership in Fine Gael is not going to solve the problems we face as a country across housing, the health services, disability services and climate. In fact, it feels like there is a high possibility it will make them worse. Ultimately, there will be no change in approach to the disastrous policy decisions that have brought people to this point. Calling an election now is the only way out of this mess for so many people. The Taoiseach said he has had success in government. Go to the people on that basis. That is what democracy is all about.

See this speech in context