{"id":440771,"date":"2025-12-11T19:31:19","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T19:31:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/440771\/"},"modified":"2025-12-11T19:31:19","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T19:31:19","slug":"heated-row-in-dail-as-sinn-fein-td-calls-labour-deputy-a-muppet-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/440771\/","title":{"rendered":"Heated row in D\u00e1il as Sinn F\u00e9in TD calls Labour Deputy a \u2018muppet\u2019 \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

A heated row broke out in the D\u00e1il<\/a> after a TD was accused of using \u201cunparliamentary language\u201d after a shout of \u201cmuppet\u201d when Labour\u2019s Conor Sheehan described earlier exchanges as like being \u201cat Kilmallock cattle market\u201d.<\/p>\n

Labour finance spokesman Ged Nash<\/a> hit out at Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s Mark Ward who made the comment after Mr Sheehan criticised exchanges between Minister for Culture Patrick O\u2019Donovan and Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s Matt Carthy over a question about potential blister pack medication charges.<\/p>\n

Leas-Cheann Comhairle John McGuinness told TDs \u201cI\u2019m not prepared to join in the shouting match that goes on every Thursday morning\u201d.<\/p>\n

Mr Sheehan thanked him \u201cfor calling that out. I mean, this is D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann and not Kilmallock cattle mart and every Thursday, we\u2019re treated to the same thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr Nash then said Mr Ward \u201creferred to my colleague in unparliamentary terms\u201d and called for the remark to be withdrawn immediately and said \u201cthat kind of conduct is not acceptable\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Leas-Cheann Comhairle said he did not hear the remark and if Labour wanted to make a complaint to the Ceann Comhairle, it would be investigated.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe non-reusable blister packs store medication in separate plastic pockets for tablets taken at different times of the day, and for each day of the month. Photograph: Getty Images\/iStockphoto <\/p>\n

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Earlier Mr Carthy had described the Government\u2019s response to potential charges of up to \u20ac50 a month for blister pack medication previously covered by the State.<\/p>\n

Accusing the Government of a \u201cScrooge-like response the week before Christmas\u201d he said blister packs \u201care not a luxury. They\u2019re a lifeline. Tens of thousands rely on them.<\/p>\n

\u201cOlder people managing multiple medications, people with dementia or Alzheimer\u2019s, those with intellectual disabilities, brain injuries, mental health challenges.<\/p>\n

\u201cCarers and frontline workers know exactly what will happen without them, because these packs allow people to live independently. They prevent confusion, mixed doses, missed doses and double dosing.\u201d<\/p>\n

The non-reusable blister packs store medication in separate plastic pockets for tablets taken at different times of the day, and for each day of the month.<\/p>\n

Pharmacists have written to patients proposing to charge a minimum of \u20ac20 to dispense blister packs from the beginning of January.<\/p>\n

Mr Carthy said people were worried because they could not afford the packs, previously free of charge, that \u201cmay now cost \u20ac20, \u20ac30, or even \u20ac50 a month. They simply cannot absorb it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr O\u2019Donovan said the Government was supporting the least well off and most vulnerable in many ways. Under the drugs payment scheme cardholders and their families \u201conly have to pay a maximum of \u20ac80 a month for approved medicines\u201d.<\/p>\n

Health spending is at its highest level with a budget of \u20ac27 billion for 2026, he said adding that \u201cthe opportunity still exists for the HSE to engage with the Irish Pharmacy Union and I expect that engagement to happen\u201d.<\/p>\n

Mr Carthy said the Government had found billions for developers, banks and landlords but with older people, dementia patients and disability payments \u201cthe approach suddenly becomes penny pinching\u201d.<\/p>\n

He said \u201cthis is a political choice, not a financial necessity\u201d.<\/p>\n

But Mr O\u2019Donovan hit back and said that one of Mr Carthy\u2019s colleagues \u201casked me to hike up the charge for people on their Netflix account\u201d. He said to repeated interventions that if he had done that, Mr Carthy would be \u201cin here today with the same cant as always that we\u2019re not taxing enough\u201d. <\/p>\n

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