Mattie McGrath addressed colleagues on 20 February 2020, rejecting the nomination of the caretaker Taoiseach and urging a government that will serve the people. He said Rural Independence is willing to engage with other parties, has spoken with Sinn Féin and has been asked to talk with Fianna Fáil.
Nomination and voting intention
McGrath said he will vote against the nomination of the caretaker Taoiseach, arguing the people voted for change and rejected the outgoing government. He criticised the previous administration for not listening to voters and said he wants ministers held accountable rather than passing responsibility to new bodies.
Engagement with parties
He confirmed Rural Independence is ready to talk to all parties and has already held talks with Sinn Féin, and has been asked to speak with Fianna Fáil. McGrath welcomed new deputies and sympathised with those who lost their seats, saying he looks forward to meaningful engagement to form a government that delivers for the people.
Accountability and public bodies
McGrath called for the removal of what he termed the "permanent government" and criticised the proliferation of new cuangos, naming Iské and Godford and Marchén as examples. He insisted ministers must be held to account and that responsibility should not be shifted to the HSE or to new agencies.
Public services and social concerns
He highlighted urgent public-service issues including the health crisis and mental health provision, saying there is not a single mental health bed in Tipper Raid and described the situation as a national scandal. McGrath also raised concerns about farming and fishing communities, small businesses, planning restrictions, rising crime and drug gangs, illegal road racing, homelessness and elderly patients left on trolleys.
Local support and priorities
McGrath thanked voters in Tipper Raid and commiserated with fellow candidates who were not elected, reiterating his commitment to serve constituents from "the cradle to the grave". He said his priority is to deliver for ordinary people rather than pursuing self-serving politics and looks forward to working with colleagues who share that aim.
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I too am delighted to be able to say a few words this evening in this stall and to sympathise with the people who lost their seats, welcome the new people and their families here today and indeed to sympathise with your last deputy Patrick Cope also. I want to thank the staff today and the others for dealing with those large crowds because I know how enthusiastic our new members and our families and supporters are and everybody couldn't be accommodated obviously. I want to say that we in Rural Independence and myself are willing and ready and able to talk to each and everyone as we committed to in the election and we have been talking already to Sinn Fein and we've been asked to talk to Fianna Fáil and we look forward to that. I want to say that I will be voting against the nomination of our caretaker, T-Shook, Leo Varadkar, because the people voted you out of government. The people voted for change and they didn't want you. We were here over the last four years pointing out to you the misgivings. Not that we knew everything or were infallible but no we weren't. We were appealing to listen to the people, to be a guest doctor, to Dina, you weren't listening to them. And I want to see a government that will go govern the people, that will be serving the people. We're not talk to Dali, messages of the people that are supposed to be public servants rather than self-serving and want to get rid of the cuangos. Ye promised it. The previous governments promised it but no, they set up more of them. And let the ministers and the government be held accountable. Not passing the book to HSE and passing the book to everybody else and new cuangos after cuangos. Iské and Godford and Marchén. We need accountability and we need to be able to help the people out there that voted. Hank all the people in Tipper Raid voted for me and I did to the other five candidates and commiserate with the people who didn't get in. But they need to be served. The people from the cradle to the grave that have been left down by successive governments and the permanent government who have their hands on the handlebars of power you'd need a hammered shield to get them off them. That must be removed. We serve the people and deliver for the people. I look forward to meaningful engagement with the parties to try and get a new government that delivers for the people in the health crisis. Mental health. We don't have a single mental health bed in Tipper Raid. A national scandal is what it is. The farming communities, the fishermen and indeed the students. And of course we've got two close successive governments to big business. And we've got about the small business people. And the man who gets up in the morning, you talk about him alright. They want to go to work and raise his family and pay their way. They've been crucified and squeezed. And that's why they voted the way they did and continues to be. Crime is rampant and drugs and the drug gangs are rampant and over the country and indeed my own county. And we see the motorway last week held up with an illegal racing gun on it. It's just unbelievable. People go to work, try to raise their homes, build their homes. Planning conditions are ridiculous. They're homeless and indeed the people who are out there waiting in trolleys. 90 year olds, 90 year olds, 90 year olds waiting in trolleys for days. It's a shocking indictment on an island of 100 years old and we commemorated our 100 years only just this time last year. So I want to be involved with my colleagues to try and make things better and to try and serve the people rather than self-serving it. I look forward to engagement with everybody else that wants to do that. Thank you very much.
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