Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Let us examine chapter 6.4 on page 28 of the manifesto document which states: "Fine Gael will put an increased emphasis on Community Gardaí and encourage members to live in the communities they serve." In the same paragraph, it outlined how it would end wasting the time that law enforcement officers spend checking passports at airports or doing administrative duties in Garda stations so that more could be made available to police in communities. Of course none of that happened which is consistent with the entire manifesto.

On the day that the manifesto was launched I said to the Minister that it was probably the greatest act of political delinquency since the foundation of the State for the blatant lies poured on the people. It was done very cynically, particularly in the north west, which the Minister of State should know about, in the form of the lies told about cancer services at Sligo General Hospital, accident and emergency services at Roscommon hospital and so on. The Government made those promises long before chapter 6.4 was published. It is hardly surprising that the commitment given about policing was another lie perpetrated on the people.

The Minister of State was sent here to take a bullet - for want of a better expression - for the Minister because he did not have the manners or courage to come here himself. My party has lodged a FOI request for a copy of his diary in order to discover where he chose to go rather than come here to read the same speech that was read so well by the Minister of State today. What will happen when the people of Glencolmcille, Annagry or Dunkineely go to the Minister of State's constituency office to ask him what is the situation with paragraph 6.4 on page 28 of the Fine Gael manifesto that spoke about enhanced community policing in their areas? What will he say to them? Will he say that the Fianna Fáil party blew the boom and blame it for everything?