Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I normally thank Sinn Féin for bringing forward a motion, but I cannot do so on this occasion because this is a trick-of-the-loop job. As Deputy Michael Healy-Rae stated, I did call for that vote during the debate on the Finance Bill. I called earlier, in the convention centre, for a vote against that proposal. You were all mad to jump on the wagon of the climate action legislation. We all know there is climate change but the people here are finding out too that this is a very costly experiment for them. Deputy Nolan asked very pertinent questions, and I wish to answer them - not that I am an expert or anything like that. On why we have the dearest electricity by far and everything else and why the Government will not challenge the big companies, it is because all the big parties are in bed with these companies. Full stop. We saw this with the issue relating to mica and cement. CRH, not the taxpayer, should have been made to pay the bill.

Sinn Féin is getting money from America. It is money for jam, and now it seems the party wants to get money from these companies too. I cannot see another reason for this. I am not the brightest person in the world but I have come to that conclusion. They all want to be in bed with the conglomerates and get funding from them. This is how our political system has got us here. It is a very sad place to be in 2024. We then have a plethora of NGOs landing up before ye, beside ye, behind ye and all over the place with ye, telling ye what to do and what to think. All this is driven by the agenda of George Soros and the World Economic Forum. Full stop. Ye have signed up to it blindly. The vote that will be held on the migration treaty tomorrow night is very much part of that well-planned and laid-out undertaking. They have sold their souls for power, money and pensions. Deputy Michael McGrath, who was a great colleague of mine for years and with whom I often travelled, and whom I congratulate on his new job as our European Commissioner, came in here last week with another trick-of-the-loop job. A motion was put down to do one thing. It was stated that it would not be opposed but it was spoken against and rejected. Again, this was punishing the Irish people. They are tired of being punished and they are very much wise to ye.

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