David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I confidently predict that while Fine Gael may well get a belt of the ballot paper at the next election, the Labour Party will be wiped out. It will not be wiped out because of its socialism, but because of its lack of socialism.

Who is running this so-called democratic Europe? It is the banks and the ratings agencies. Where are the democratic elements that will stand up and tell the ECB to bugger off with itself? Where are the people who will stand in solidarity with the brave, decent people of Cyprus who have stood up to it? What is happening is appalling. It is appalling to see that the bully boys of the ECB are at it again. They did it to the unfortunate Brian Lenihan. He was wrong and I felt sorry for him. Now Deputy Noonan is our Minister for Finance and I expect we will have Deputy Brian Hayes, the Minister of State, in the House too. Like Brian Lenihan, Deputy Noonan is a good, decent person with similar skills of advocacy, but he is wrong also. Austerity does not work, will not work and cannot work. Even economists are coming around to this view. Why do we continue to punish our people in the interest of institutions and banks? This is unspeakable. Nobody, from the highest levels of the establishment down to the lowest, meanest Minister of State has shown solidarity and identified with the people of Ireland.

I would like to see some of these people visit soup kitchens. In a previous Seanad, somebody who held the position of Leader - not with the dignity, grace and political courage of Senator Cummins - made a fool of this House by proroguing it so that Members could go off and play golf. I suggest to the Leader that after Easter, we should suspend the Seanad for one day to allow us, as representatives of the people, visit the soup kitchens in Athlone, Tuam, Galway and anywhere else they spring up. If there is an eviction that day, we should go on a fleet of buses and stand in solidarity for once with the people of Ireland.