Withdraw that. The Taoiseach said this a couple of weeks ago.

You cannot say that, it is a lie.

If the Taoiseach says something and it is a lie, he should take it back. A Leas-Cheann Comhairle, is the Taoiseach allowed to say something that is a lie?

I want to know when the Taoiseach is going to withdraw the untruth that he put on the record of the Dáil. The Taoiseach said that I was totally opposed to every restriction under level 5. Will he withdraw it? It is untrue. It is a lie. Is he going to withdraw it, "yes" or "no"?

Are you going to withdraw the remark?

Are you standing over a lie?

No. One cannot do that to somebody, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

I am asking that the Taoiseach withdraw what he said from the record of the Dáil.

No, I clearly object to the Taoiseach telling a lie about me. He clearly said that I opposed everything contained in the level 5 restrictions and that is not true.

I ask him if he is going to withdraw it.

I am asking the Taoiseach if he is seriously going to leave it on the record of the Dáil that I told lies and that he is telling a lie about me.

No. Hold on now, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, this is totally unfair. The Taoiseach cannot do that to somebody. I am asking him to withdraw it.

I am asking the Leas-Cheann Comhairle is she going to step in and ask the Taoiseach if he will withdraw his remarks.

He cannot come in here and make a blanket statement like that. I will not let him get away with it. It is not true.

One cannot tell a lie about somebody in here and leave it on the record. The Taoiseach is here long enough to know that.

I am trying to defend myself. That is all I am trying to do, and there is no need for the Deputy to be so smart either.

I am not-----

It is extremely unfair of the Taoiseach to do that.

Before we do so, I wish to raise a point of order. I ask the Taoiseach to withdraw the wrong and untruthful allegation he made about me on the record of the House. It is extremely unfair. I want to afford him, out of courtesy, as a man of extensive ministerial experience and now the Taoiseach of this country, the chance to do so. I am appealing to him to withdraw what he said. When there was a massive lockdown imposed many months ago, I came out publicly and in every other way in support of the then Government.

All I am saying is that what the Taoiseach said was unfair. As a basic courtesy from one human being to another, I ask him to withdraw his comment. I am being very fair in asking him to do so and I am being very straight about it. I am asking him, as Taoiseach, and, more important, as a person, to take back what he said about me, which was unfair, untruthful and not correct.