Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

That is what we have always been about. I am proud to lead our party. We parrot nobody.

Yesterday’s events in the Dáil were unprecedented. We witnessed what happened. We are deeply regretful that the Ceann Comhairle’s office was dragged into this. It is with great regret that I expressed the view that the Ceann Comhairle’s position is untenable but let us be clear that this is a mess of the Government’s making, and the Taoiseach in collusion with Michael Lowry. I agree with the Taoiseach on one thing. It was deeply wrong of a Deputy, of Michael Lowry, to give two fingers in the national Parliament. It was deeply wrong and deeply disrespectful. The Taoiseach said it was wrong. I hope the Taoiseach will call on him to apologise. I hope the Ceann Comhairle will call on him to apologise, but what happened yesterday was a farce of the Taoiseach’s making.

See this speech in context