Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy has said that his party were "just the messengers" after a motion of no-confidence was filed in the government yesterday.
The government survived the motion in the Dáil, despite Minister of State Michael Healy-Rae voting against the government.
Sinn Féin brought the motion on the back of the government's handling of fuel protests over the past week.
Deputy Carthy was the only TD from the Cavan-Monaghan constituency to address the Dáil during the debate.
Sinn Féin's Cathy Bennett and Matt Carthy both voted against the confidence motion in the government, while Fianna Fáil's Brendan Smith and Niamh Smyth, and Fine Gael TD, David Maxwell gave their support to the government.
Speaking in the Dáil yesterday, Deputy Carthy claimed the government refused to listen or to acknowledge the financial pressures faced by workers, carers, people with disabilities and families.
In a passionate address, he said the government ignored small businesses, farmers, contractors, bus drivers, hauliers and "virtually everyone else".
Deputy Carthy said: "Those who have been making their voices heard are the salt of the earth. I have spoken to them. They are hard-working people, most of whom had never protested before in their lives.
"They were the same people we turned to when the parties in government crashed the economy. They were the people who lost businesses and then rebuilt them. They are the people who went without meals in order to save their farms and their homes because the Government bailed out the banks instead.
"They are the backbone of the domestic economy, the lifeline of every town, village and rural community in the State, and their voices have been heard loud and clear. The question today is whether the Government has listened." Deputy Carthy added.
