Boyd Barrett puts down all-seeing journalists

People Before Profit Alliance TD Richard Boyd Barrett seemed ready to attribute superhuman powers of observation to the media in the Dáil.

And then he ruined it all by suggesting that journalists covering the protest march against water charges on Wednesday were no more than a crowd of wimps.

It was the Committee Stage of the Water Services Bill 2014, with Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly manning the Government benches.

Boyd Barrett was in full flight, hands waving, voice hoarse from addressing the rally the previous day. He estimated the crowd was between 70,000 and 80,000.

“We had three sides of Merrion Square and all the way down Nassau Street to College Green , and some commentators stated there were 30,000. Who were these commentators, and where were they standing?’’ he asked.

He then appeared to suggest the same commentators had extraordinary visual dexterity.

“Did they have eyes on the back of their head; did they have eyes that could see around corners?’’

Expressions of smug satisfaction came over the commentators in the press gallery. High praise indeed. And then came the let-down. Hands still gesticulating, he had a question.

Back gate

“Were they, in fact, shivering in the cold near the back gate of the Dáil, asking us how many people there were, looking at our estimates, looking at the Garda estimates, and deciding it was somewhere in between?’’

The commentators in the press gallery were devastated. Despite warm overcoats they could not, according to Boyd Barrett, brave the cold streets on Wednesday.

Mind you, if he was out there with the crowd how could he have known they were allegedly sheltering near the Dáil?

Fianna Fáil was next to be castigated by Boyd Barrett. Life-long party supporters had told him that, while they did not agree with his politics, they had joined the protest.

He then turned his attention to the Garda. A garda had told him he knew of hundreds of off-duty gardaí who were on the demonstration.

"The Minister, Deputy Kelly, can no longer fool people,'' said Boyd Barrett.

Kelly looked into the middle distance.

The Minister had a break when Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin stood in for Tánaiste Joan Burton at Opposition Leaders' Questions.

Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald was back in the chamber, but the exchanges were relatively tame in Burton’s absence.

Stern warnings

The water charges debate continued for most of yesterday. Boyd Barrett remained engaged throughout, the hoarse voice issuing stern warnings.

Echoing the grimly prophetic words of Michael Collins when he signed the Treaty, Boyd Barrett pointed to the Government benches.

“You are signing your political death warrant,’’ he warned.

Kelly could not be contacted last night to say if his mood was similar to that of the Big Fellow all those decades ago.