In Da House: 'The PD sandwich has gone quite stale'

Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins tackled the Tánaiste, Mary Harney, on donations from property developers, the PD ethos, and the 'orgy of greed' in Irish society, during Leaders' Questions in the Dáil on 8 March

Joe Higgins: I ask the Tánaiste if it is of any concern to her that last week she said she discussed suspicions of corruption in Dublin County Council in the 1990s with Deputy Kitt and others. I know these were the most torrid days in the history of Dublin County Council because I was there. Speculators and bag men were crashing into each other as they arrived with donations to politicians. The Chief Whip (Tom Kitt) accepts a donation, other Fianna Fáil TDs accept donations but then their memory fails... I remind the Tánaiste that she is in charge, according to the PD president, Deputy McDowell. It is not the bulky bread which gives the sandwich its taste, it is the PD meat that gives the sandwich its flavour, incidentally reducing the Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil to a soggy lump of batch. In west Dublin many people believe the PDs slipped into the sandwich under a leaf of lettuce and they hope it will be scrubbed better when the next one is being prepared... In the indulgence of that orgy of greed which is the essence of the neo-liberal capitalism that she espouses, donations alleged, memory lapses and all the rest no longer cause her any problems. For the possible amusement of the Ceann Comhairle, my research has indicated that the sandwich was invented by John Montague, the fourth earl of Sandwich. Apparently he did not like getting his hands sticky by handling the meat directly. He must have had a premonition of the future of Irish politics.

Mary Harney: I think Deputy Higgins would make a very tasty meat sandwich. I suggest he talk to his colleagues in the Opposition about the possibilities after the next election. The Oireachtas has established a tribunal of inquiry into certain matters and it is a matter for that tribunal to reach judgment and decision. I have total confidence in the Government Chief Whip.

Joe Higgins: Of course the Tánaiste has confidence in the Chief Whip because she herself accepted political donations from speculators... Has it ever occurred to the Tánaiste that the escalating cruelty and sheer callousness towards the fate of others, witnessed on the mean streets of Dublin in recent days and months, is really only a distorted reflection of the greed and callous disregard for social solidarity demonstrated by the very profiteering speculators and developers who have been financing her party and other parties? They are the exploiters of migrant workers and their ethos of greed is not only facilitated but glorified by her Government... The Government shrugs its shoulders and turns away. For the tens of thousands stuck with crippling mortgages as a result of the speculators who finance the Government parties we must say the PD sandwich has gone quite stale, in fact somewhat rancid. It is an indictment of the Government that it stands over and fuels this greed.

Mary Harney: If Deputy Joe Higgins and people who share his policies were in power not many people would be able to afford even the sandwich.

?More This is an edited transcript of the Dáil debate, available at www.oireachtas.ie