I rise to support the Government motion of confidence in the Ceann Comhairle and her right as a democratically elected constitutional officer to impartially adjudicate over the Thirty-fourth Dáil. In the context of a significant announcement due in hours from the Trump Administration that has the capacity to really impact so many livelihoods right across this country and pose a threat to so many jobs, we in this House are not debating a motion as regards the tariffs could be imposed in the coming hours. We are not debating a motion on what the European response may be to that significant threat.
Sentiment score: 0.05
We are not debating a motion on the capacity of our economy to respond to a significant shock that may be on the horizon.
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Nor are we looking at the vulnerabilities our economy faces and how we may need to respond in the coming months.
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We are debating a motion the Opposition has triggered-----
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-----about eight minutes every Wednesday and Thursday afternoon. That is what we are at here, while there are so many significant challenges to our economy. It is time we got back to a functioning Dáil and let Members in this House play their part on the various committees on which they need to represent our interests and the people's interests. We have seen unprecedented disorder in this House in recent months. We have seen video-recording, name-calling and chanting that one would expect to see at a far-right protest. Now we have to get back to respecting this national Parliament with the dignity and respect with which our communities sent us here to ensure we discharge our responsibilities as best we can. There has been a significant opportunity cost over recent months. No foreign affairs and trade committee-----
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-----to really dig down into the various sectoral interests-----
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It is absolutely your fault. It is the Opposition's fault that the committees are not sitting in this Dáil. There is no European affairs committee-----
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-----to speak for colleagues right across the EU 27-----
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-----as to how we are responding. There is no tourism, trade and enterprise committee to bring in sectoral interests, to advance the programme for Government-----
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This is it - shout people down.
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If anyone has an opposing view, shout them down.
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You are well used to street protests.
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We work in communities, we deliver, we do the work; you shout and roar and try to bring disorder here and have our Parliament suspended.
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Well, let us resolve one thing today: that this House will not be suspended again. Let us ensure we get on with our work and are delivering for the Irish people what we were sent here to do by our communities.
Sentiment score: 0.56