Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will pick up on what Senator Craughwell said in talking about one’s own county. I will never apologise for talking about Tipperary. I also remind him that there are 167,000 people living in Tipperary and it is the lowest represented county in the country. It needs more voices. I assume at some point, when the commission is set up, that Tipperary will be seen as a very large county that needs more representation.

I acknowledge the vote of confidence in the Government yesterday, the resounding victory the Government received in that motion, and the mandate that it now has going forward through the summer and into the budget, which will be an important one for the people of Ireland. Rather than create division in the Lower House, it has united our party and, in fact, the three parties and our other supporters into the future to do what is right for the country.

It has also told us how certain people think, in particular Independent representatives. I was listening to Senator Ruane speaking about Independent voices. We are quite lucky in this Chamber that we have Independent voices with clear vision and leadership. Unfortunately, we do not have that in abundance in the other Chamber where we have Independent Deputies who go which way the wind blows and who are all things to everyone. The interesting thing about last night is that they had a decision to make as to whether they supported this Government or wanted a Sinn Féin government.

It is clear from last night that the people of Tipperary now know that Deputy Mattie McGrath wants a Sinn Féin government. Independent Deputies have for years been all things to everyone but last night they had to make a decision. People in Tipperary now know that a vote for Deputy Mattie McGrath is a vote for Sinn Féin. This is a welcome development in Tipperary because people need to know that. I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach.