Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)

Ní bhfuair mé deis aréir fáilte a chur roimh an Aire Stáit mar nach raibh agam ach cúpla nóiméad chun labhairt ar an ábhar seo. Cuirim fáilte roimhe anois. Caithfidh mé a rá go gcuirim fáilte roimh an díospóireacht meáite agus cothrom seo. Tá dhá thaobh na hargóna á chloisteáil againn. Shuigh mé tríd trí huaire agus 15 nóiméad d'argóintí ar son an chonradh seo aréir. Níl aon locht agam ar sin. Ba mhaith liom ceisteanna a chur ar an Aire Stáit faoi roinnt de na ceisteanna agus pointí tábhachtacha a ardaíodh chun soiléiriú a fháil ar cuid acu.

There has been a good deal of discussion in the debate today about living in the real world. It is somewhat rich of a Fianna Fáil Senator to tell us that we are not living in the real world since they lived in a parallel universe for so long. The real world for those of us in Sinn Féin is the world of the carers campaigning outside the gates at the moment and that of the lone parents who are holding a press conference because of the cutbacks resulting in such austerity for them and brought in by the Government.

Senator Sheahan's lack of understanding of the situation in the North surprises me since we have raised it on numerous occasions. Senator Sheahan does not appear to understand that the North is governed under Tory cuts from a block grant from Westminster.