Taoiseach says it's 'disturbing' TDs are failing to call blockades wrong
Micheal Martin told Mary Lou McDonald he was 'disturbed' that she failed to condemn the blockades
The Taoiseach took aim at members of the opposition in the Dáil on Wednesday, saying that it was “disturbing” that they have failed to say that blockades are wrong.
Fuel protests that wreaked havoc across the country last week continued to dominate the chamber during Leaders' Questions on Wednesday afternoon. Taoiseach Micheál Martin was particularly hard on Sinn Féin, telling leader Mary Lou McDonald he was “disturbed” that she failed to condemn the blockades and attacks on Gardaí.
He said: “I was extremely disturbed that you have not yet, as the main opposition leader here in this house, had the courage of your conditions or the decency to separate what is right from what is wrong. Surely it is possible in this house that we can get agreement on basic rights and wrongs in terms of what should and shouldn't happen, and that is something you have not been prepared to do.”
The Taoiseach also hit back at Labour leader Ivana Bacik and Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns for not being more vocal. Ms Bacik criticised the Government’s handling of the fuel protests, telling the chamber: “The Government has been weakened and damaged over their inadequate response to the energy crisis in fuel progress with further challenges to come.
“We've now lost a Minister of State and a back bencher, two Healy-Raes for the price of one and a high price indeed, yet he won the vote last night. But the pressure for hard working families and households in this cost of living crisis has not gone away.”
Mr Martin hit back, saying the Labour leader’s silence last week during the protests was “noticeable”. He said: “I do think you have a responsible approach to politics, although I thought last week you were noticeable by your silence.
“I think you got a glimpse of what siding up to Sinn Féin can mean for your party and the damage it can do to in the time ahead.”
This comment prompted a response from Ms Bacik and her party colleague Robert O’Donoghue, as the Labour leader said her party had been clear about their stance on the protests.
She said: “Taoiseach, you've got to stop rewriting history about last week. The Labour Party, in my name, issued a statement last Wednesday morning calling on the Government to engage with the representative organisations. It took you until Friday afternoon to do that.
“We also called for the lifting of the blockade on Wednesday morning, so we have a very clear position and I won't accept your opinion.”
The Taoiseach also hit out at Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns for saying “very little” about the protests, while Ms Cairns claimed the government was "totally unprepared" for the widespread protests.
She told Mr Martin: “This Government was totally unprepared for the protest that swept the country last week. But how? After all, this did not erupt spontaneously overnight, the signs were there, they weren't even subtle.
“I think there's a lack of empathy at play here. And I know Taoiseach that you'll take great exception to the fact that I'm saying this. You'll claim that we don't have a monopoly on empathy or compassion, but I really would ask you to reflect on what happened last week and your Government's reaction to it.
In response, he said: “Everybody accepts that people are under enormous pressure because of global crises and the war in Iran in particular prices have shot up and that is cause for concern. I don’t think you predicted that. You said very little last week.”
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