Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It should also acknowledge that the simple fact is that the majority of those in this Parliament supported the motion before the House, while the Opposition ignored every basic rule and democratic principle in trying to block it.

It is important that everyone understands that this new aggression has been extended to other areas. Until the start of this Dáil, the tradition had been that new Deputies would be given the space and goodwill to settle into their new role. Respect for others has been a hallmark of this Parliament in the past. Unfortunately, I have been told by a number of new Deputies that they have been subject to verbal abuse by supporters of certain Opposition parties. This has been made worse by the refusal of Opposition leaders to restrain their members and call for basic civility.

We all know that public representatives need to be more careful today than in the past, but there is a risk of this situation getting much worse when you have individual TDs being attacked for supporting the formation of a Government and when we hear wild claims about jackboot democracy and the silencing of the opponents of that Government.

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