Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yes. In more modern times, we have seen how fragile democracy can be. With the exception of the French revolution, which was an overnight and sensational affair, other governments were gradually taken over. The classic example was the fascist movement. Mussolini appeared to be a man of the people at the beginning, but he then decided to usurp control and famously marched on Rome, frightening the life out of the king and everyone else. Hey presto, he was in government. He ruled through fascism and hatchet men, the Blackshirts.

Observing this, Hitler decided that it was the way to go in Germany, leading to the Brownshirts, the bully boys. He did not get into power overnight. He fought umpteen elections, going from 5% of the total poll to 28% or 29%. Clever people believed that they could handle him and they allowed him into government but he was smart. Like the cuckoo who got into the nest, he quickly kicked out the other eggs and took over. Then he decided that parliament was a hindrance to him because people like the socialists and communists were saying things with which he did not agree. Then there was the mysterious fire in the Reichstag one night when the entire building went up in smoke. I think the Taoiseach missed out on that one. Maybe he was afraid that the entire building would go.