In the Dáil yesterday, the Taoiseach made an allegation that people associated with Sinn Féin were most insulting to ordinary people who attended a Fine Gael Party meeting in Limerick on Monday night. What the Taoiseach said yesterday was absolutely untrue. Sinn Féin was not involved in the protest in Limerick. Our council group leader, Maurice Quinlivan, has made that clear. I presume the Taoiseach knew that or he could have checked it out before he came to the House to make the allegation, which was carried by some of the media and which is clearly part of an effort by him to demonise the anti-water charges campaign, and in particular Sinn Féin.

The reality is that thousands of reasonable people had protested very peacefully, and will continue to do so, until the water charges are abolished. People will not stop holding up their placards just because the Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, wants them to do so. I look forward to a huge turnout on 10 December. We have always been very clear about protests and demonstrations, in particular in the wake of some unsavoury incidents around the anti-water charges demonstration. I and others have said the protest should be very peaceful, family-friendly and respectful. The Right2Water campaign, which Sinn Féin supports, is a broad-based movement of ordinary citizens, most of whom have never been active previously. They are expressing themselves through peaceful protest, which the Taoiseach should encourage. Will the Taoiseach now withdraw his inaccurate and untrue allegation against Sinn Féin which he made in the Dáil yesterday?

There should be no porkies.

There always seems to be a problem with the associates of the Sinn Féin Party.

So it is not a question of Sinn Féin members; now it is associates.

I was in Clare and Limerick the other day. I do not think Deputy Adams was present himself.

I said we were not there.

Will Members please stay quiet?

I am not blind. I saw the posters myself. The Sinn Féin representative, Mr. Quinlivan, said no Sinn Féin person used abusive language towards ordinary citizens leaving a party political meeting. It was absolutely disgraceful. If that is the kind of association Sinn Féin has with a broad-based protest group, then Deputy Adams, as president of his party, should say to the associates of his party that he does not want to ever hear that kind of language again.

Hear, hear.

It was used against ordinary people, in particular women, who went to a political meeting and were walking out in the ordinary way as ordinary citizens. I remind Deputy Adams also that I have said on many occasions that it is perfectly in order for people in this country to democratically and legitimately express their concerns through protest in a peaceful way. What was witnessed in that case did not worry me but it was certainly very abusive towards women in particular. The language was simply appalling. Deputy Adams has said he has a broad-based group and that the people involved are associated with a broad-based group. There were members of his party in Limerick and in Clare and they were using abusive language. Deputy Adams was not there; I was, and I heard it.

The Taoiseach has become very thin skinned.

Deputy Coonan abused the people of Dublin. He should withdraw his remark and apologise in the House.

Deputy Finian McGrath should listen.

Members should please stay quiet.

I remind Deputy Adams that the Government listened very carefully to the people who expressed their concerns legitimately, peacefully and democratically on the streets.

The Taoiseach did not listen hard enough.

The Government answered the queries on clarity, affordability, fairness and certainty.

The legacy men.

That is why there will be no increase in water contributions until 2019, and beyond that the Minister of the day will by law hold the authority to continue to cap water charges in order that they are affordable. The charges are now affordable. For a single person, the charge is €1.15 per week. For two adults or more, the charge is €3 per week. I had letters from a primary school in Monaghan yesterday-----

The Government wanted to charge a lot more than that.

-----where young children said big people do not know how to save water. They said these water meters are very good and it will mean there will be less money spent on wasting water.

The Taoiseach needs a big sit down.

Will Members please be quiet?

They have a far better view of it than Sinn Féin appears to have.

What about Big Phil?

This is Deputy Adams's business.

The issues of mandatory PPS numbers, a bonus culture, public ownership and what happens after 2019 have all been answered very clearly and very fairly. The Government did listen. The Government also listened to the kind of abusive language I heard in Limerick and in Clare.

Is this Lilliput?

If Deputy Adams is associated with that then he should ask those people working with his party, who are broadly-based, to withdraw those remarks against women in particular. The language was abusive and filthy. I have rarely heard the likes of it before.

Mná Fhine Gael.

If they are associates of Sinn Féin, then Deputy Adams can keep them.

What about Big Phil?

This is Deputy Adams's question. There is no need for the chorus from Fianna Fáil.