Mattie McGrath Defends Speaking Order, Calls for 'Lie' Withdrawal
Mattie McGrath defended a proposal on the sequence of speaking rights and said it does not deny anyone the right to speak. He asked Les Concord to require Deputy Griffin to withdraw the word 'lie' and warned of bullying and public outrage over a bill he called 'shambolic'.
Support for the procedural proposal
Mattie McGrath described the measure as a reasonable proposal about the sequence of where contributions come in and where they go out. He stressed the proposal is not about denying speaking rights but about respecting the order and sequences of time for debate.
Demand to withdraw the accusation
He directly addressed Les Concord and asked that Deputy Griffin be made to withdraw the use of the word 'lie'. McGrath referred to an accusation that some people had been accused of spreading lies and sought formal withdrawal of that language.
Allegations of bullying and historical reference
McGrath accused Deputy Griffin of acting as a bully and said there was a 'heavy boot by his back' with reference to Fine Gael and past years '74 to 77, or 73 to 77'. He warned of a 'new heavy gang' and characterised the conduct as an attempt to silence voices in the chamber.
Public reaction and critique of the bill
He warned that while critics 'might silence us here, they won't silence the people out there' and said people were outraged at what was happening in the house. McGrath described the legislation being passed that evening as a 'shambolic bill' and called the situation an outrage.
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I do believe this is a very reasonable proposal. It's not denying anyone speaking rights, but it's just about the sequence of where it comes in and where it goes out. Deputy Griffin is up there and he accused us, some people here, of spreading lies. I would ask you, Les Concord, to make him withdraw that as to withdraw the word lie. And he had a heavy boot by his back again in Fine Gael. We had him in 74 to 77, or 73 to 77. And he's back again. It's either a new heavy gang, Deputy Griffin from Kerry. It's either a new bully that's going to bully us. They might silence us here, but they won't silence the people out there. They're outraged of what's going on in this house and the shambolic bill being passed here this evening. And it's an outrage. It's a reasonable proposal. God's asking anyone, not taking time for anybody, only the sequences of time. And that should be respected. Thank you.
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