John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

It is already easy to forget that one of her first duties was to chair the election of a Taoiseach. The people who took a wrecking ball to process in this House sit on the opposite benches. Getting down to the business of last week, it is difficult, as anybody here can testify to the fact, for the public to appreciate the visceral and toxic atmosphere pervading the Chamber last week and to wonder why violent protest might take place on our streets. Members opposite have made much today, as have commentators who were not in the Chamber on the day, either in these seats or in the press gallery, that calls for votes and proposals for amendments were clearly audible on playback. Nothing was audible in this Chamber last Wednesday, just as nothing was audible on the day we gathered to vote to elect a Taoiseach. Even the most reasonable Member of the Opposition has not apologised or expressed regret for the behaviour on either of those two occasions.

See this speech in context