Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am sure the Minister of State has enjoyed the past few minutes, the little history lesson of who got what right when and how. I get tired coming in here listening to this nonsense. First and foremost, my colleague, Senator Boyhan, is correct. We will have statements in here over the next few days on the national planning framework. What the hell is that about? It is a waste of time because the plan will already have been launched at that stage. Senator Boyhan, whom I trust when it comes to such issues, is impressed by the plan, and that is significant for me. What is insignificant is the "gig", as he put it, next Friday. The gig should not go ahead. If we are to debate it in the House, let us debate it, vote on it, have it endorsed by the Oireachtas and take it out to the people and sell it to them.

I recently drove from Galway to Letterkenny down every back road I could find, through every village I could find, and I saw rural Ireland and where it is now. Let no one from any side of this House jump up and down and say what he or she did or did not do for rural Ireland because it did not fall into the state it is in today in a year, five years or ten years. It has been slowly degrading. I drove around the town of Mullingar last week and, my God, I have seen some disastrous places in my life, but Mullingar is in dire need of funding and support to bring it back to the proud town it once was. There is a beautiful Army barracks there that is open to the world but there are no soldiers in it anymore. One can go up along the west coast and through towns such as Foxford. Westport is a fantastic town, but anyone coming into some of the other towns in Mayo will see the state of them. Anyone can see the state of parts of Leitrim.

The plan is therefore needed and, in fairness to the Government, it has put a plan in place, but what the hell is wrong that the Government cannot bring the plan in here to the democratic heart of the country and allow a vote to take place on it? What is wrong with that? These statements are nonsense. They are a waste of time. People will stand up here next week and say with great indignation, "Damn this to hell," and "Damn that to hell," and "The Government did not do this and did not do that". However, if the Government made them vote on it before it kicked off with the gig in Sligo, they would have very little to say. I get tired of the goddamn history lessons. We get it in here every bloody week. We have people shouting at us about trolleys and housing. Are they expecting all these things to materialise out of thin air? The Government is doing the best it can, but would it for God's sake respect democracy, bring such plans to the House and let people who will shout their heads off next week about the plan do so before they vote on it? I agree with my colleague, Senator Boyhan. If Deputy Micheál Martin so wished in the morning, he could force a vote on this today, and that is the truth of the matter.