Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to express my disappointment that Members of the Oireachtas and the Law Library have not tried to keep to the rules and regulations. We might not like some of them but we all have a responsibility to do what we are supposed to do.

Within the next 24 or 48 hours, football teams from all over this country will engage in matches. That is a grave mistake. I understand how people feel and the point made by my party colleague, Senator Cassells, about the well-being of people who are looking forward to seeing those matches on television. However, let me give the picture from my part of the country. I am one of the most avid sports fans in County Roscommon. I am hugely into GAA and travel all over the country to watch games. I am also into soccer and always go to Longford Town matches because its ground is close to me. I also follow rugby. I watch all sports. Roscommon are scheduled to head to Armagh, Leitrim to Newry and Longford to Derry, although the Longford county board objected to going there. Kerry is scheduled to come to Monaghan.