Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

For the past number of days I have asked for an amendment to the Order of Business to the effect that the Minister for Social Protection be brought to the House to discuss the issue of lone parents. Yesterday I received a message from a supporter of one of the Government's parties, stating, "I think you want a culture of schoolgirls in gym frocks pushing prams and on social welfare for life." I have two sisters who were lone parents and went through extreme hardship to rear four children, attend university, get good jobs and live productive lives. I am damn well not going to take that sort of rubbish from anybody.

Senator Mooney has asked for an amendment to the Order of Business, which has been seconded, and I hope this time the Government has the guts to bring the Minister to the House, have the figures on the table and see who is suffering. I have been inundated with messages from lone parents who have not received their payments. There are people who cannot afford to take the bus to Dublin today. What is going on? We have to do something about this. It is like Irish Water: something is pushed and driven through, no matter what happens, and to hell with what anybody thinks. This is a democratically elected House. The Minister is quite happy to speak to Sean O'Rourke on the airwaves but will not address the House. It is not good enough.

I was with Senator Mooney at the gates of the Houses yesterday. I have supported the Irish Water campaign and other things that go against Government policy. What I saw happen to Senator Mooney yesterday was totally unacceptable. He was accosted while minding his own business. It was outrageous. Many good people travelled from all over the country to be outside the gates of this House, but there were about 25 thugs there, who should be nowhere else but in jail. I support Senator Mooney.