We will not be silenced. I want to speak in support of Deputy Moore's motion to have the writ moved for the Cavan-Monaghan by-election. I have very good and solid reasons for doing that. I will start by mentioning the size of the constituency. It borders on Aughnacloy, County Tyrone; moving south east, it extends to Crossmaglen; moving north west, it extends to Blacklion, Belloo, County Fermanagh. It borders three of the six Ulster counties, another reason why the seat should not be left vacant any longer. It borders Louth, Meath, Westmeath and Longford in Leinster, Leitrim in Connacht. There are three provinces involved. This is an important, pivotal, and very large constituency.
It is a constituency which in the past, up to the last general election, has shown great respect for democracy; it is a constituency which could be taken as an exemplar in the whole of Ireland with regard to exercising their democratic rights in voting. This is no latter-day conversion to democracy. Two years after the Ballot Act was passed in 1872, Cavan invited a Presbyterian, significant in the context of the politics of today, to stand for election and he was elected as nationalist MP for that area. At the last by-election in that area we had Arthur Griffiths as our candidate and we elected him to this House. Again we gave an example to the country of the proper exercise of democracy. We had the highest valid poll in 1981 and the highest quota, if one excepts the constituency which had the Ceann Comhairle. We had the highest Fianna Fáil votes — and this is significant — in the whole country, except for Clare.
We are told this by-election cannot take place because of a heavy programme of legislation. The Taoiseach said that in 1961 Deputy Blaney laid down some structures for by-elections. Why does the Taoiseach feel he must follow this now? Why can he not keep the House going? Why can he not advance his legislative programme in the normal way? If he does not agree with what Deputy Blaney did, why does he feel he must follow that course now?
The Pandora's box was opened this summer and all the ills, doom and more doom, were let loose to try to break down the spirit of the country. One little thing was left in Pandora's box and that was hope, and the electorate had that hope because they knew a by-election had to be held in Cavan-Monaghan, and that they would be able to let the Government know what they thought of their philosophy and their attempt to break the spirit of the people in the difficult circumstances that exist.
I gathered from what the Taoiseach was saying that he was not addressing the House but a few Independents, and the Government are skulking behind those Independents. On a recent radio programme we had a lot of clap-trap from a Deputy about the Cavan-Monaghan constituency. I submit that he knows sweet damn all about that constituency. He said the people who voted for Kieran Doherty knew he was an abstentionist candidate. That shows he does not know anything about the general election campaign. The Minister for Fisheries and Forestry can verify that the campaign was not conducted on an abstentionist basis. People were asked to vote for Kiernan Doherty and saved his life. Many older and young voters did that, but unfortunately his life was not saved, even though he got the votes.
In the general election the total valid poll in the Cavan-Monaghan constituency was 60,411. In Limerick East—and some Members from Limerick East chose to pontificate on this issue—the total valid poll was 48,590. In other words, Cavan-Monaghan had about 15,000 votes more, or three times the number of votes given to the Deputy who spoke about Cavan-Monaghan.
The Government should come out and face the electorate in that constituency. Some concern was shown about who would represent the Fianna Fáil Party in that by-election. We have chosen Senator Jim Leonard and know he will be the next TD for that constituency. Fine Gael may have problems but if they want to try to have Senator Dooge elected, that is their business. We are only too anxious to get the Government's record, their attitude towards employment and their lack of social concern before the people. We want to get a judgment from the people on those matters but we are not going to get it apparently.
Once there was a heavyweight boxing championship match arranged in the United States between Max Baer and Joe Louis. When the time came and the bell went, Max Baer was not available. They found him skulking in the toilets. They had to chuck him out of the toilet and throw him into the ring to fight for the championship. We want Fine Gael, and Labour too, to come out and stop skulking, to face the people and have this by-election.