THERE HAVE BEEN some heated discussions during Leader’s Questions in the Dáil chamber this afternoon.
Under questioning from Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin the Taoiseach said that he is in agreement with a consultant’s letter to the head of Tallaght Hospital which had condemned the situation that left a 91-year-old Parkinson’s sufferer on a trolley for 29 hours.
“This is a shocking example of dysfunction in the system,” said the taoiseach.
Not to pass the buck, but I would very much like to hear what the hospital has to say on this situation.
This response prompted a furious outburst from Independent TD Finian McGrath who shouted “we need beds” repeatedly in the direction of Enda Kenny.
“Don’t be putting on a show for the tv cameras,” shouted the Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett in response.
Resume your seat.
When McGrath declined to do so Barrett said:
“Leave the chamber, leave the chamber, leave the chamber, leave the chamber.”
Which McGrath eventually did. He is now suspended from the Dáil chamber for the rest of the day.
Soon after during the Order of Business Fine Gael TD Jerry Buttimer got himself involved in a heated slagging match with Micheál Martin over a letter that was delivered to them both from parents of a child with intellectual disabilities in their constituency.
After Martin attempted to read the letter out in the chamber Buttimer repeatedly told him he should be “ashamed of himself”.
When he refused to desist with his criticism he too was dispatched to the dressing room for an early bath.
Kenny has since told Gerry Adams that “Sinn Féin’s way won’t fix our problems”.
Sinn Féin’s way will ruin our economy. Sinn Féin’s way will drive jobs from this country.
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