John Gilroy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Taxation should be reduced on labour, which is what the Labour Party is doing in government. My friend, Senator Sean D. Barrett, may have inadvertently referred to a protest born out of anger. The secretary of the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, was kicked and spat at during that protest and one of the leaders has been identified in the media as a common thug, rather than simply an angry person. The person concerned has a long record of engaging in anti-social behaviour and is connected to the party of Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh. Violence must be condemned by all right-thinking people - we cannot prevaricate and try to justify it because people are angry. Violence is never justifiable and all democrats must agree - a person who does not say this is not a democrat.

That is all I will contribute on this issue. I would like to say much more, but if I start, I will not have time to develop my points. Perhaps we might have such a debate on another occasion.