David Norris (Independent)

We had here yesterday a Minister from a party that at one stage had some socialist leanings who seemed in at least one statement to epitomise the most ruthless form of capitalism, saying that people should receive in proportion to what they put in. There is a mysterious text in the Bible, "For he that hath, to him shall be given, and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath". If this is the Government's policy I would like to know more about it. I would like to know why the Model School in my constituency is having so many teachers removed in an area where there is a terrible drugs problem and generational unemployment. This will cause enormous destruction down the road. In Grangegorman, the victims, the most vulnerable in society, who are there because of illness, have been turned into prisoners and locked in. I would like to know how many other institutions in this country do the same.

We have an opportunity to do something about this. We have been told by the Taoiseach on more than one occasion that we are on death row as far as he is concerned. I remember a film called "The Shawshank Redemption" and even there the prisoners banged their mess tins against the cell walls, they made a protest and went out to the strains of great classical music. Under the Constitution of this country we are charged with defending the rights of the people. That is more important than any party allegiance.