Powers conferred under the Offences Against the State Act should be used to end the hindering of access by taxi-driver protests to Leinster House, Mr Joe O'Toole (Ind) said. The constitutional right of assembly and to protest was precious, but it could be controlled by law.
The Act laid down that public meetings could not be held within a half-mile of the seat of parliament. A senior garda could notify the prohibition of such a meeting or a procession and any member of the force could call on the participants to disperse.
What was happening was conveying an appalling image of democracy. "It's like a Third World country, and I speak as somebody who has organised major protests in this city," Mr O'Toole said.
"The right to protest is good. We have seen farmers, teachers, trade unionists, residents and many people out there making their protest, that is what democracy is about. It is not about stopping the business of democracy and participation in democracy."
Mr Rory Kiely (FF) said those who were disrupting traffic were behaving disgracefully. Last year, farmers had been fined for placing illegal pickets on meat factories. What was happening on the streets of Dublin was also illegal and he wondered why equal treatment was not being meted out in this case.
Mr Maurice Manning (FG) said his main concern was for people, particularly those who were handicapped or otherwise vulnerable, who were being deprived of their right to travel.
This was something no civilised state could tolerate. The Government had made an offer to talk to the protesters, but such discussion could take place only if there was an end to the intimidation and the sort of abusive behaviour and language that had been witnessed.
The leader of the House, Mr Donie Cassidy, said he fully agreed with his colleagues' sentiments. Exhorting all sides to begin negotiations, he said the taxi people were making no friends for their cause with the way they were conducting their protest.