Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)

Fine Gael was opposed to the very same motion last year; it voted against it. Now it comes in with a straight face hoping we will support this very necessary measure. Yes, we will support it, we have a consistent position, it is our policy and we will not run away from it, we will not do a U-turn, we will not lie to the people, we will not tell them one thing and then do another, which is exactly what Fine Gael is doing. This is the bonfire of the promises and the people of Ireland are at the top of the bonfire and that is the uncomfortable truth for the Labour Party. The Labour Party Senators should show consistency and decency like Deputy Broughan, who believed in something and said he could not support a measure because it was wrong. I disagree with him but he is consistent.

The public voted for change but it got much worse. Politics and democracy are at stake. How can people trust anyone running for election given the record of the Government parties? They should have been honest and admitted that they would have to vote for it; they still would have been elected to Government but it is in the nature of Fine Gael and the Labour Party to tell people one thing and do another. The civil servants sitting there are the civil servants who did an excellent job in recent years in advising Ministers, even though the Labour Party and Fine Gael were highly critical of them personally in recent years.

Let us try to be honest, let us try to have a new day for democracy in politics, when representatives vote according to what is right for the people. Fianna Fáil is starting that today by voting for the Government motion, even though we are right to criticise it for the inconsistencies and untruths told to people. Let us do a deal with the people that this will not happen again because it is shameful and disgraceful and the Government consistently voted against this before the election.