Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will not belabour the House. It is late in the year and we have had quite a lot of debate on the airwaves, on the television and in the national print, and it was morning, noon and night. I was just making the point about the new type of democracy we are seeing in Ireland. It is a new phenomenon. It is interesting in one way and it is worrying in another. If parliamentary democracy fails the people, the people will find a way of getting their point of view across. We saw some very unpleasant events. I think I was the first Opposition spokesperson in either of the Houses to condemn the disgraceful behaviour and manner in which the Tánaiste was treated in Jobstown, and also the Taoiseach in the same week. It is a sad day, if that will be tolerated, particularly where it is tolerated and almost condoned by elected Members of the Lower House. This is something we have to worry about.