Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Last night's debate was very valuable not because some members of the Labour Party went missing or spoke in favour of but against the Bill but because of the serious issues raised therein. Property bubbles are threatening to destroy many economies worldwide. We need a system that favours entrepreneurship and enterprise over finance and banking. Many countries have been doing the exact opposite. This is Wall Street versus Main Street. How we deal with property rights is subtle. It is up to us as legislators to go review all of that. Previously, people in the city had the right to burn whatever coal they wanted to burn. This was changed. Changes were also made in regard to tobacco smoking, which damages people's health. The taxi licence value of €130,000 was also changed. Recently, a farmer whose family have owned in a historic house near Carton House in north Kildare for hundreds of years was required to move because the IDA wanted the land for expansion. Property rights are subtle. This is what should be emphasised in our future debates on this issue.

I take it the Leader has had no communications from the Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, which means his allegation that he was bribed by a Member of this House is now null and void. The Minister of State is in Istanbul and is not using his telephone. When we said the prayer earlier we did so with more fervour than ever given today is, if the Taoiseach gets his way, the day before this House is moved to death row. It is appalling. I am a member of the North-South Interparliamentary Association, which cannot meet tomorrow because it would mean we would be meeting with Northerners on the same day as a partitionist Taoiseach was abolishing the two all-Ireland constituencies in this Oireachtas, TCD and NUI, which is a shameful way to treat our Northern brethren. I will ask Mr. Haas to take up the matter with the Taoiseach.

I call on the decent people in the Fine Gael Party, in that parliamentary tradition from Griffith to Garret FitzGerald, to vote "No" tomorrow. I hope that the Fianna Fáil votes loaned to Fine Gael during the last election will be returned, that the Labour element of Conor Cruise O'Brien will assert itself and that Sinn Féin will not vote with the partitionist Taoiseach tomorrow. We need this House. The cowards mark the patriots fate who hangs his head in shame. We have been mocked from every lamp post in the country. We cannot have "Alas, that might should conquer right" on this issue.