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Seanad
‹ Order of Business

Invitation to next Taoiseach

Summary

Senator Ó Ríordáin urged the next Taoiseach to come to the House and answer for his record, accusing him of using public money and running a campaign against social welfare recipients. He called for scrutiny of the policies and claims surrounding the leadership bid.

Will the Leader at the earliest opportunity invite the next Taoiseach to come to the House to pick through a few issues? We assume the next Taoiseach will be the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Leo Varadkar. I described him yesterday as the John Terry of Irish politics for taking credit for things in which he had little or no involvement.

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That is harsh on John Terry.

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The other day I was peeking through his list of accomplishments. He has claimed credit for the introduction of paternity leave, with which he had nothing to do, and free GP care for the under-sixes, with which again he had nothing to do. I was also flicking through his policy document which I can only assume he put together with his campaign manager, the Minister of State, Deputy Eoghan Murphy. There is not one mention of mental health in it. I find it particularly odious that two Dublin private school boys are lecturing the rest of the country on how the poor should behave.

I find it particularly odious that this Fine Gael leadership campaign has been paid for in part by the taxpayer. I listened to Deputy Leo Varadkar yesterday talking about this fraud campaign. It is amazing he did not find it within his capability to talk about the fraud perpetrated on the Irish people and the release of Seánie FitzPatrick. I do not remember any other campaign he talked about which was plastered all over Dublin Bus vehicles. I agree wholeheartedly with what Senator Lynn Ruane said that if anyone in this Chamber or this country were about to assume the highest office in this land, one would assume that individual would be trying to unite people. However, what Deputy Varadkar and his buddy are doing is trying to create a culture of blame, victimisation and assumption that some people get up and work hard and some people do nothing and some people pay for everything and some people pay for nothing. I suggest we have been through too much over the past ten years - the hurt, cuts, economic collapse, social collapse, emigration and unemployment - to finally come out of that situation and have a celebration last year of our new republic, only to be about to elect to the highest office in the land someone who thinks some people pay for things and other people do not. Deputy Varadkar is running a disgusting campaign. I am disgusted he is about to become leader of this country. I am disgusted he is using taxpayers' money to do it.

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How is he using taxpayers' money?

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He has no vision to unite or bring people together.

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Denis O'Donovan An Cathaoirleach Fianna Fáil

I thank the Senator.

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He is using Department of Social Protection money to run a right-wing campaign-----

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Denis O'Donovan An Cathaoirleach Fianna Fáil

I ask the Senator not to ignore the Chair.

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-----that victimises social welfare recipients in order to appeal to the right-wing instincts of Fine Gael members. That is exactly what he is doing, and the public is paying for it. I, therefore, suggest to the Leader that if and when this individual becomes Taoiseach, he might invite him before the House so we can pick through some of these issues with him.

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