Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)

I wish to share my time with Deputies O'Donnell, Breen, McHugh, Crawford, Hayes, Timmins and Connaughton.

I rise to speak in favour of the Fine Gael motion. I thank Deputy Noonan for giving us an opportunity to debate economic issues and the state of the economy before the summer recess. There have been many debates about different things over the past week or two, but it is appropriate that we debate the most important issue facing us before we rise for the summer.

As Members are aware, last week Ireland officially came out of recession. We now have GDP growth once again. Our domestic economy is still shrinking, but good news is good news. What we have now is the end of the statistical recession; we do not have the end of the real recession. The real recession, in people's lives, will only end when unemployment starts to fall and incomes start to rise - when people have jobs to go to and a little more money in their pockets. There is no guarantee that this will be the case.

I heard what Deputy Kennedy said about doom and gloom. I am not interested either in doom and gloom-----

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