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Deputy Ruth Coppinger:   Will the Deputy vote for the proposal then?
Deputy Micheál Martin: No. What we are simply saying is this: today there are statements on mental health, but at some stage-----
Deputy Ruth Coppinger: At some stage.
Deputy Micheál Martin: -----and we are not opposed to this and we will work with everybody in the House-----
Deputy Paul Murphy: After the Deputy has done a deal.
Deputy Micheál Martin: No, not necessarily.
Deputy Ruth Coppinger: At what stage will the Deputy-----
An Ceann Comhairle: Deputy Martin has the floor; can the other Members restrain themselves?
Deputy Micheál Martin: There is an obligation on everybody here to decide whether they want a government of some form or not. We have been straight all along. We will facilitate the formation of a government. We obviously sought a sufficient majority of votes for ourselves to form a government and we had a position on water but many people opposed to water charges decided not to support my nomination for Taoiseach and they did not abstain either. That said, we are at a stage where there is one set of negotiations going on. There are Independents who, to be fair to them, have engaged in the process for quite some time as well in the formation of a government. Either that succeeds or it does not and we can go back to the ballot box if that is what people want to do in regard to it.
Deputy Michael Healy-Rae: The people do not want that.
Deputy Micheál Martin: We either give space to enable that to happen or, alternatively, we can have a debate on this in the House at some stage. I am not stopping a debate in the House and I have no wish to do so-----
Deputy Ruth Coppinger: Will the Deputy vote for it?
Deputy Micheál Martin: -----but I want, as a first priority, to try to give effect to the formation of a government that can last, that can be sustainable and that can deal with the major issues facing us, in particular the health and housing issues.
An Ceann Comhairle: Thank you, Deputy. I call Deputy Finian McGrath.
Deputy Finian McGrath: I join my colleagues in strongly objecting to the Order of Business and particularly the fact that the Dáil is concluding this evening at 6.30 p.m. I agree with my colleagues. I attended the Whips' meeting with Deputy Boyd Barrett and I supported him on having a debate on water charges. The whole country is discussing this issue and while it is an important issue there are also other important issues. Let us consider what happened on the streets of Dublin last night. Two people were gunned down on their streets in gangland murders. One happened in the Sunset House pub on the north side of Dublin, which many of us know from going to Croke Park over many years. The other murder took place in Clondalkin. This is a major issue that should also be debated. Action should be taken by the Garda Commissioner and the Minister for Justice with people being gunned down in pubs and houses. This is not acceptable. This feud has gone on for many weeks. We need to focus on this issue. I urge the Government to consider expanding the debate to discuss the horrific nature of gangland murders and crimes.
With respect of other issues such as health and disability services, water charges and housing issues, we need to get on with doing the job and we need to become relevant to the people. The people are hopping mad because this Dáil is not functioning. We need to get on and do the job. That is the reason we were elected, and we need to get on and do it now.
An Ceann Comhairle: Very briefly, Deputy Healy.
Deputy Seamus Healy: There is a motion on the Order Paper signed by 39 Deputies regarding domestic water charges. Deputy Martin spoke about Deputy Moynihan's choreographic abilities or otherwise. I am not sure about that but I do know that on two occasions Fianna Fáil joined with the Government to stop-----
Deputy David Cullinane: Hear, hear.
Deputy Seamus Healy: -----a debate in this Chamber on domestic water charges.
Deputy Mick Barry: Hear, hear.
Deputy Micheál Martin: That is not true.
Deputy Bobby Aylward: It is not true.
Deputy Micheál Martin: It is false.
Deputy Seamus Healy: I ask Deputy Martin if he intends to do that again today.
Deputy Micheál Martin: We support the Order of Business.
Deputy Seamus Healy: This is a party which had a pledge to end water charges in its manifesto. It is not good enough that this party should stop 158 elected Deputies to this House discussing the issue.
Deputy Paul Murphy: Hear, hear.
Deputy Seamus Healy: It has done it twice and I appeal to Deputy Martin not to do it today but to join with those other 39 whose names are on the motion on the Order Paper and ensure a debate on domestic water charges takes place in this Chamber today or tomorrow.
An Ceann Comhairle: Lastly, I call Deputy Joan Collins.
Deputy Joan Collins: Many issues have arisen in the past week or so, not only gangland crime but also cancer services, which has been debated on the airwaves all day today and in the past few days, the industrial relations situation regarding Luas and the Tesco workers. Issues are arising and this Dáil is not functioning in the way it should in terms of trying to intervene in them. I appeal to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to extend the sitting time to allow for a discussion on water charges and other issues that have arisen in recent days because the people outside this House can see the game being played. |
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