Jerry Buttimer: Debate 'a charade' - language and leadership
Jerry Buttimer told the Dáil the debate was a charade and warned that language matters in public life. He defended recent government interventions, praised An Garda Síochána and urged colleagues to act for the people.
Summary of the remarks
Jerry Buttimer criticised the form of the debate, saying if members genuinely wanted questions they would have used Question Time. He argued people want government to govern and highlighted that government intervened twice to respond to public pressure.
On language and leadership
Buttimer reminded the House that words matter and that leadership is about acting for the people, not gauging the wind. As a member of the Oireachtas for 19 years he appealed to colleagues in both Houses to choose their language carefully because people are watching.
On government action and consequences
He referenced a second intervention worth three quarters of a billion euro and said that engagement with Deputies led to that response. He framed these measures as necessary steps to relieve pressure on citizens.
On An Garda Síochána
He closed by thanking the men and women of An Garda Síochána for their leadership over the past week, saying that irrespective of political ideology their work matters to the state and to the community.
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Go raibh maith agat, Ceann Comhairle. Go náireas tá an dina go léir fí brú, ach tá naír an ghairealtas ag éisteacht, tá mé de caint, go múibhairleas an go náireas dina, agus tá mé de go abair ar hwn gach dina. And this debate is nothing but a charade, because if the members opposite wanted to have questions, they wouldn't have put a motion at conference or no conference, they'd have had question time. The reality is, the reality is, Deputy, people want us to govern. People are under pressure. That's why government intervened twice. And I would make, as a member of the House of Oireachtas for 19 years, I would make a comment to members of both Houses of Oireachtas. Our language and our words matter. And Deputy Curran speaks about leadership. But leadership isn't about sticking your finger in the air and wondering what way the wind is going. It's about acting on behalf of the people. It's about acting on behalf of the people. And if government didn't listen, didn't engage Deputy O'Toobean, we wouldn't have had a second package, three quarters of a billion euro. No, no, three quarters of a billion euro. Language, Deputy, matters. Language is critical. People listen, people watch. And I will make the point, and I want to conclude on this, Ciancola, I want to thank the men and women of An Garda Síochána for their leadership in the last seven days. I've spoken to them. I've met with them. Some of them are friends of mine. Behind the Instagram or the TikTok video, there's truth and there's reality. To the men and women of An Garda Síochána, let us say thank you, irrespective of our political ideology, because without them we'd be a poorer state. All of us in this House, we have a mandate. We are elected by the people. We go before the people in an election. I'll conclude on this. I'll conclude on this. We go before the people. Our constitution preserves that right.
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