Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)

Stop it, will you? Have respect. The Deputies are a disgrace. I spent too long with them.

I will be voting in support of the Ceann Comhairle, Deputy Verona Murphy, from one female politician to another, and as one who has had more than her fair share of spite and political attacks to contend with, particularly from one party in here. I will not sit on the fence as others have done while attempts are made to engage in what amounts to a coercive form of democratic vandalism to the constitutional offices of this State. The Ceann Comhairle was elected by the majority of this House, whether Deputies like it or not, and the Ceann Comhairle can only retain her position through a democratically endorsed ballot, whether they like it or not.

All of us here will not agree on everything, and that is politics and democracy. That is the nature of politics but we are all elected to do our jobs, and we have been unable to do our jobs in this Chamber where it has just been made impossible, as was pointed out by my colleagues, because of the atmosphere, the intimidation and the toxic environment that has been created. We should all agree that vicious personal attacks, attempts to undermine and even degrade for the purposes of pathetic political optics are unworthy of this House and the tradition on which it was built.

The Ceann Comhairle is capable of discharging her duties in a fair and impartial manner, and what has happened here over the past few weeks has been nothing short of an advertisement for women to stay away from Irish political life. It was the Deputies' own dear leader, the feminist herself, who stood up and engaged in shocking behaviour in this House. It was shocking behaviour.

See this speech in context