Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)

I am taking lessons from the master. I am but a humble apprentice at the feet of the Deputy. The most delightful part, if it was not so serious, was to hear Deputy O'Dea lecture the Government on budgetary prudence, when the Government of which he was a Minister left the people of this State a €7.1 billion debt for the first 12 weeks of this year. He has the temerity - I acknowledge it is skilful - to walk in here and criticise the Government regarding dealing with the budgetary legacy that he and his colleagues created. He referred to our masters in Frankfurt. Which Government created the environment where a sovereign state had to hand over its economic autonomy to other parties? It was the Government of which the former Minister for irony was a member.

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