Will the Deputy resume his seat? He knows as well as I do that he is not allowed display items like that in the Chamber. He is here a long time. I ask the Deputy to resume his seat.

The Tánaiste is responsible for this disgraceful situation. What will she do to stop gardaí brutalising local communities for opposing water charges?

If the Deputy abuses the Order of Business, I will not call him. I ask him to resume his seat. He knows he is out of order.

I am saying that right around this country, there is an insurrection against the Government's new austerity tax. People are being manhandled and brutalised by her gardaí and I am calling her to account to stop it.

Will the Deputy resume his seat?

What about the Deputy's people abusing the gardaí?

Gardaí have an oath of loyalty to the State and not to any particular politician - Deputy Joe Higgins, me or anyone else.

No, the Government is abusing them.

It is a professional force, as it ought to be. In respect of Deputy Joe Higgins's query about taxation, the legislation to which he referred will come before the House this session. In my view - the Deputy has been a member of the European Parliament - these matters can be addressed only by close co-operation across Europe and on a global basis if we wish to address them properly.