Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)

At the outset I make the point that it is important for nobody in the House to make any reference to last night's events outside these gates in any ambivalent fashion or in such a way as to give substance or support for those actions. It was blatant thuggery, which is unacceptable, and the staff of the Houses and the Garda Síochána should be congratulated in their curtailment of it. No words spoken in the House by any Member should be slightly ambiguous about it. What happened was a disgrace.