Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Cad a dhéanfaimid feasta gan Taoiseach? Tá sé as lathair. This is a farce. We are in GUBU territory, I think, when we see this empty chair here today. Where is the Tánaiste? The business of this week is a shambles. Those in Government got a severe dressing down from the people in the referendum because they were not listening. They are not listening to us on the Business Committee or to the Members of this House. It is an absolute insult to democracy the way the business is being treated this week.

I did not get to the meeting two weeks ago and Deputy Collins went in my stead, but there was a full, packed agenda and the Government decided at a whim to just change it all to suit themselves for a coronation and a show. Despite all the promises yesterday that he was going to move mountains, the Taoiseach is not even here today. It is an insult to the democratically elected Members and, more importantly, to the people of this country. With the situation regarding the fodder crisis, the weather and 100 other problems for everybody, to have this going on is purely shambolic. It does not augur well for the new Taoiseach and this cobbled-together Government.

We had a kind of state-of-the-nation, turbo-driven address from the Minister, Deputy Ryan, yesterday on what he was not going to do to the people. My God, I think they have lost the plot completely, and I think people know that too. They are waiting for you. Tá siad ag fanacht sa bhfeár. They are waiting in the grass for you. You will get your answer because this is an absolute insult to democracy, to all of us but, more importantly, to the daoine na hÉireann.

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