Opposition rounds on Government and ministers over handling of protests

Opposition parties rounded on the Government on Tuesday, singling out the Minister for Communications and Defence for particular criticism.

A motion of confidence in the Government was called after Sinn Fein, the largest opposition party, first tabled a motion of no confidence over the coalition’s handling of recent fuel protests.

Over the last week, parts of the motorway system were brought to a standstill and ports were blockaded by demonstrators angry at rising fuel prices, caused by the war in Iran.

During the debate on Tuesday, opposition ranks grew after Michael Healy-Rae announced his resignation as a Minister of State.

He had been one of a number of Independent TDs whose support enabled Fianna Fail and Fine Gael to form a government.

The Government won the motion of confidence, but all opposition parties voted against it.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said the Government had an arrogant attitude during the protests.

“You demeaned peaceful protesters,” she said and added: “You insulted them and you insult them here again today.

“You refused to meet them because you decided that it was beneath you it seems.”

She said the initial 250 million euro package of measures announced by the Government three weeks ago “only tinkered at the edges”.

She added: “A modest cut in excise was wiped out almost immediately”.

She said the 505 million euro package of support announced by the Government on Sunday does not meet “the scale of this crisis”.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik said the protests were “not just about fuel prices”.

She told the Dail they were “also about exorbitant rents and mortgage costs, about house prices, childcare, education, healthcare costs, waiting lists and more”.

She said the Government had tried to intimidate protesters and said the Labour Party “watched all week in mounting dismay” as the Government “poured petrol” on the situation instead of de-escalating it.

Holly Cairns, the leader of the Social Democrats, said her party did not support blockades, but said: “People have watched while you’ve wasted countless billions, failed to deliver critical public services, housing and infrastructure, all while giving sermons about the importance of fiscal prudence – that is the backdrop to these protests.”

Minister for Communications Patrick O’Donovan was criticised by a number of TDs on Tuesday after he said he would ask Ireland’s broadcasting regulator Coimisiun na Mean to examine media reporting of the protests.

Ms Bacik compared him to outgoing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, saying: “Goodbye Viktor Orban, hello Patrick O’Donovan.”

Mr Orban, a close ally of both US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, was voted out of office on Sunday after 16 years in power.

Among the Social Democrats, Sinead Gibney said she was “genuinely shocked” by Mr O’Donovan’s comments and Ms Cairns criticised him for “blaming the media”.

Meanwhile, Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan was compared to film characters GI Joe, Rambo and James Bond by TDs.

On Thursday, Mr O’Callaghan said the Defence Forces would assist An Garda Siochana in removing vehicles from the blockade.

Speaking during a confidence motion in the Dail, Social Democrat TD Cian O’Callaghan said: “Instead of pursuing a strategy of de-escalation, ministers decided to fan the flames.

“GI Jim O’Callaghan arrived on the scene thinking that he was Rambo.”

Speaking to reporters at Leinster House earlier on Tuesday, Labour’s Ged Nash referred to Mr O’Callaghan as Rambo, or “Jimbo”.

Speaking in the Dail, Independent Ireland TD Ken O’Flynn asked about Mr O’Callaghan’s reaction to the protests by saying: “What did Big Jim, James Bond himself, do?

“He said, we’ll turn the army on our own citizens, which is reminiscent of something that you would hear in South America.”