Richard O'Donoghue: I Stood With the Real People
Richard O'Donoghue addressed the chamber to defend his participation in recent protests and to criticise the Taoiseach and Tánaiste for what he called their 'arrogance and the disgust' towards working people. He recounts negotiating with protesters to ensure waterways, farmers and fuel were not affected and says he would stand with them again.
Richard O'Donoghue told colleagues he had been accused of standing with protesters but argued he had negotiated to protect vital services. He described meeting people from Clare, Kerry, Tipperary, Cork and Limerick and praised the strength and dignity of those he met.
O'Donoghue painted a picture of families and farmers, children from two years of age and men and women moved to tears about their futures.
He directly criticised the Taoiseach and Tánaiste for leaving the chamber and for showing arrogance toward 'the real working people of Ireland'. He named Fianna Fáil and Fianna Gael in recounting protesters' anger and said one named official, Timmy Dooley, would 'be gone the next time'.
O'Donoghue closed by saying he would stand with the same people tomorrow and the day after, accepting any accusation that comes from that solidarity. He framed his actions as defending the future of ordinary Irish people and emphasised that he has lifelong friendships from those events.
What he said
Richard O'Donoghue told colleagues he had been accused of standing with protesters but argued he had negotiated to protect vital services. He described meeting people from Clare, Kerry, Tipperary, Cork and Limerick and praised the strength and dignity of those he met.
Who he defended
O'Donoghue painted a picture of families and farmers, children from two years of age and men and women moved to tears about their futures.
Criticism of leadership
He directly criticised the Taoiseach and Tánaiste for leaving the chamber and for showing arrogance toward 'the real working people of Ireland'. He named Fianna Fáil and Fianna Gael in recounting protesters' anger and said one named official, Timmy Dooley, would 'be gone the next time'.
What he vowed
O'Donoghue closed by saying he would stand with the same people tomorrow and the day after, accepting any accusation that comes from that solidarity. He framed his actions as defending the future of ordinary Irish people and emphasised that he has lifelong friendships from those events.
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Transcript
Thank you, Alasdair Ní Choila. The Taoiseach and Tánaiste have left the chamber, but they've also left the people of Ireland with the arrogance and the disgust that they showed against the real working people of Ireland. I've been accused of standing on an epicet with the people of Ireland. I'm guilty, but I stood there and negotiated with them to make sure that there was nobody affected. The waterways were not affected, the farmers were not affected, the fuel was not affected because we went down and met them with their concerns and we actually worked with them. I've met the finest people and I have friends for life and if I had to do it all over again tomorrow, I'd be with them because they're the real people of Ireland. They were from Clare, from Kerry, from Tipperary, from Cork and from Limerick and we finished up below one o'clock and we said we'd walk out peacefully. What did they sing? Sean South from Garion. There wasn't one dry eye there because they were real people. Children from two years of age. I met men and women, the strongest people I've ever known, have never wanted for anything, crying to say that there's no future. That's what I stand for and if I'm guilty of that, well so be it, but I'll do the same thing tomorrow and the day after and they said, Fianna Fáil and Fianna Gael, they said, the pain is mightier than the store and Timmy Doolittle, you were mentioned at the protest, you will be gone the next time and you'll never again return.