John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)

My comment to the Members on the opposite side is that we made tough decisions. We had a deficit to make up and we did it. The challenge for them is to show clearly during the course of this debate the taxes they would raise and the expenditure they would cut to match the figure we achieved, not a different figure. They have been making different statements on different occasions.

I want to make one or two comments on the banks. One afternoon last year I was travelling across the country listening to Joe Duffy's radio programme. People were ringing in saying they were scared that their cash deposits were vulnerable and that they intended to withdraw them. Again, the Government acted in a timely fashion to secure and guarantee those deposits. A recapitalisation of the banks is not for banking per se but to keep business in this country functioning. It is worth pointing out that even in these very difficult times, with massive unemployment, businesses are succeeding and 1.8 million people are working. It is the function of Government to make the tough decisions but there is no use making them some time in the future. We have been making them constantly in a timely and responsive way to allow the Government correct the deficit that has occurred.

Deputy George Lee said he has an equal mandate. He has, but all of us who have been elected to this House have the same mandate. That mandate and the authority of the Government will be determined later today when Members walk through the lobbies. We were elected two years ago to govern in good times and in bad times. That will be put to the test later this evening with all of us expressing our mandate when we walk through the lobbies. I have absolute confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government to take the tough decisions necessary in a cohesive, timely and responsive manner.

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