The game is up. The pretence that this Government values cross-party collaboration has been clearly exposed as a sham.
Sentiment score: 0.31
Given the chance to work with the Opposition on Dáil reform, the Government preferred the nuclear option, ramming through its undemocratic proposals on Dáil reform at the 11th hour, all to deliver a grubby little deal for Deputy Michael Lowry and his band of Independents. It makes us and the public wonder what exactly is the leverage that Deputy Lowry has on Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil that brings forth such commitments.
Sentiment score: 0.28
Like all grubby little deals, this deal was done behind closed doors and we may never know the details. The Tánaiste made a commitment in this Chamber. Both he and the Taoiseach gave solemn commitments that they would work across the Chamber, collaboratively, in respect of any Dáil reform. That very clearly lies in tatters. Who can forget other promises? The previous Government promised that 40,000 homes would be built before the election. It promised to enact the occupied territories Bill before the election. Those promises are all gone and nothing was delivered. I will not use the word "lies" but it is hard to say otherwise.
Sentiment score: 0.26
I will take that back. It was another con trotted out just to give this idea to the public of who the Government is. What it does in private is completely different. Very clearly, the Opposition cannot trust this Government. I want to talk about another issue. It has been clearly flagged that the Government is going to bring forward a proposal to remove the triple lock. That proposal will be brought to Cabinet next month. Whenever the Tánaiste is asked about that proposal, he talks in riddles. We know that the Tánaiste wants to remove the requirement for peacekeeping missions to have a UN mandate but we are totally in the dark about what he plans to replace it with. Yesterday, my colleague, Deputy Gibney, was told by the Tánaiste that these plans have been long in the making. Why can we not be provided with any clarity? If it has been so long in the making, what exactly is the Tánaiste looking to replace it with? Will it be a double lock? Will it be a single lock? Will the UN have any role in the process at all? These are very reasonable questions for something that has been long in the making and I hope the Tánaiste can give us some clarity. I am not saying for a second that the UN is perfect, far from it, but we all remember the horrors from which it was born. Therefore, now is not the time to be removing ourselves from these institutions that we should be committing to building up. If we remove ourselves from the triple lock and the UN, is the Government saying that we will go on NATO missions? Will they be EU-led missions? What missions would the Tánaiste like to send our troops on that cannot be done under the triple lock as it stands? I would like answers to these questions. The Tánaiste said he would want to work constructively across the House in respect of the triple lock. We are off to a very poor start in that regard so we will take that with a large pinch of salt. Trust has been broken. I ask the Tánaiste not to speak in riddles about the triple lock. What exactly is the proposal? One more time, I implore the Tánaiste not to ram through these undemocratic proposals. We all know that backbenchers have speaking time during questions on promised legislation. There is ample opportunity for backbenchers to have their voices heard.
Sentiment score: 0.10
It is unjust, unfair and unbecoming.
Sentiment score: -0.75
You have no mandate.
Sentiment score: -0.30
You have no mandate.
Sentiment score: -0.30
The facts speak for themselves. The Government's credibility has been shattered. We speak of mandates. Each of us stood before the electorate a mere two months ago. Had that electorate known that the Tánaiste would be making grubby little deals that change the nature by which the Government would be able to correct its own homework, I doubt anybody would buy into it. That is what we are talking about. On the triple lock, I do not think the Tánaiste can answer a simple question.
Sentiment score: -0.12
We asked for specifics. The Tánaiste knows well that we hear a lot about UN Security Council vetoes. The reality is that it has only happened once, more than 20 years ago. The law was clarified in 2006 to help to address that specific situation. It is in the Defence (Amendment) Act 2006. It has not stopped Irish peacekeepers from participating in missions. The UN needs reform but we should be working on that from the inside instead of abandoning it as a requirement. I again ask the Tánaiste to remove the Government from this ridiculous policy of changing the nature of our parliamentary democracy. More importantly, be truthful with the Irish people about the triple lock and what exactly the Government plans to replace it with. The Tánaiste did not give me that answer.
Sentiment score: 0.07
No, you were not.
Sentiment score: -0.30
I asked about the double lock or single lock.
Sentiment score: 0.00