Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I am sure he did not like the way it was done but this is the reality of political life. He should grasp it, make it happen and take control of it. We need to stop the phoney war of popularity. It is not a populist beauty contest. The country and the economy are at stake and the populism that is rife at the moment will melt like snow in the desert after an election. People should examine what happened to Barack Obama and what is happening to David Cameron. They can make fine speeches before the election but the world changes afterwards. Based on my 25 years' experience in this House, the next Government will emerge from the election in a wave of popularity and within six months it will be the single most unpopular Government in the history of the State. It does not matter what the parties are. I would not rush into that reality. It is now time to engage to allow people to see where the world is at and do the business. I look forward to people working together on this issue.