Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There were dozens of trade unionists in the Public Gallery of the Chamber last night who were absolutely disgusted with the cynical approach of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Doherty, and the Government. The Government could not win the argument or the vote, so instead it took its ball off the pitch. This is playground politics of the worst kind. I am calling on my comrades in Fianna Fáil, the Labour Party, and on the Independent benches to have a meeting to discuss this because it is not good enough. It is undermining both this Chamber and the Dáil, and it is time all of us worked together to bring it to an end.