Rónán Mullen (Independent)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I have listened with great interest to many fine speeches on this topic this afternoon. I pay particular tribute to Senator Donohoe for his very fine exposition on the subject.

What appears to be the elephant in the room is really the mouse that is the Labour Party. This is really surprising. I understood Deputy Gilmore's line was that he did not want to tell people how to vote, but that is really a code for not taking what might be perceived in some quarters as an unpopular leadership position. It is not enough for Deputy Gilmore to send or allow out the sensible people in his party, including Deputy Quinn, who outlined his position on the Croke Park agreement in no uncertain terms, but to hold himself back, particularly at a time when people are looking to him for leadership. I am from the same parish as Deputy Gilmore and it is widely accepted that he is a very fine public representative. He is very eloquent and enjoys particular popularity. However, it is not acceptable for him to seek to maintain that popularity at the price of his responsibilities on an issue as important as this. It is important that leaders of political groups who in all likelihood will be in government in coming years state clearly what they believe people ought to do. That is not telling people what to do or believe. It is advising them what in their best estimate ought to be done.

Herbert Swope said: "I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure: which is: Try to please everybody." We heard reference to various American Presidents. It was the wife of an American President, Rosalynn Carter, who said: "A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don't necessarily want to go but ought to be." In that context, the silence of the leader of the Labour Party and, more significantly, the absence of the Labour Party holus-bolus from this Chamber in discussing this important topic is deeply to be regretted.