Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Where will the Taoiseach's credibility be now that he says he will have an election before year end? He told us all the time it would be at the end of term, which is next February or March. Now we will have a trapeze act with the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, pulling the curtain down on this House. One of them might pull it faster than the other. When will it be finished after all their machinations? They should be in the circus rather than here.

I object to the Order of Business this week because there are six pieces of legislation and seven hours and 27 minutes to debate them. It is all rushed and guillotined legislation, including some very important legislation on the agenda. Included is the hate speech Bill. Government Members do not want people to have the right to speak freely or openly. They will not look after them in any way, shape or form, or even give a date so they can vote them in or out. Now they want to muzzle them and the hate speech Bill is to be guillotined tomorrow. It is time they went to the country, got off their trapeze, pulled the curtain and let us off.

See this speech in context