Jim D'Arcy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I too wish to raise the issue of the incident in Jobstown over the weekend. I wish to praise the fortitude in which An Tánaiste and our colleague, Senator Katherine Zappone dealt with a very unsavoury and unpleasant incident. Thank goodness we do not live in a mobocracy. We do not give into mob rule and the mob do not rule. It is a good thing that is the case.

I am glad the public have had a glimpse of what the mob would do and have had a glimpse of the actions of these dozens of hard-left, hard-nosed independents who are against austerity - as if anyone else is in favour of austerity. Is there any one of us who is in favour of austerity? I do not believe there is. I am pleased that we have got a glimpse of what they would do if they were in charge and if 30, 40 or 50 of them - God forbid - were elected to the other Chamber. There would be election after election, protestation after protestation and who knows who will be Taoiseach or Tánaiste in the future.