Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)

I acknowledge the "Yes" side put and won its argument. That is fair enough. That is democracy. However, the Government also has a huge responsibility to deliver. The Taoiseach will be aware that a considerable section of the Irish people who voted "Yes" did so with gritted teeth and with a concern around future funding. I understand their concerns. Their hope is with this renewed chance and mandate that the Taoiseach has been given to go and get that deal once and for all. This is the moment of truth. It is here in front of us. Now we must have a deal on banking debt. We must have a real strategy for growth and investment. This will be the Government's litmus test in the next period.

The Government has not done negotiating to date and does not stand up for Ireland. Maybe, for the sake of clarity, the Taoiseach would outline what exactly the Government regards as an adequate stimulus package. What would be required? Is it the roll-out of next generation broadband? Is there a programme of school building? Are there road projects, such as the A5 road to Donegal and Derry? What are the projects? What is the strategy? How many jobs will be created? We need to see the detail. We need to know what the Taoiseach is looking for at European level and what strategic alliances he is seeking to build at European level.

We are told the EU master plan has three arms. The first is the one we know all too well. It is euphemistically referred to as having "sound public finances". In reality, what this means is a complete ideological inflexibility to consider anything except austerity as a way out of Europe's economic trough. It is this policy that has seen the return of mass emigration to Ireland and has left one in two young Spaniards unemployed. It should be yesterday's policy but new life has been breathed into it in this country by harnessing the fear of the people. It is the policy adopted from day one of this crisis which, despite its obvious failure, is still somehow being championed by the German Chancellor and foisted upon others under threat of deadly consequences. This arm of the plan does not work. We know this because Greece has had a second bailout and Portugal and this country have more or less admitted they will need a second bailout because the first one, and its austerity, did not work.

On a side point, one area where the EU has sought to make an impact, at least in terms of the media, is on youth unemployment.

I am hopeful that this is one area where the Taoiseach may be able to expand on what initiatives were discussed or will be discussed at June's meeting. My colleague, Senator Kathryn Reilly, has tried to get some clarity on this, even to the extent of making a freedom of information request. We need clarity and detail on the Government's strategy in terms of stimulus and bank write-down of debt.

We are told that "structural reforms" comprise the second arm of the grand plan. What are these structural reforms? We are relying on titbits of information and some guess work. Perhaps the Taoiseach can enlighten us to what is being proposed here and what position the Government will take.

What guarantee has he got or is he looking for that this structural reform will not merely be more of the neo-liberal policies favoured by the EU Commission over the last decade? How is the Government positioning itself to reject any moves towards lowering of wages across the EU in the name of competitiveness?

How much has civil society, in particular the trade unions, been consulted about these so-called reforms? Experience has taught us that when this EU Commission speaks of "labour market reforms" workers should worry and organise themselves.

What does the Taoiseach say to the press speculation that has Germany pushing for further privatisation of state enterprises? Is this something on which the Government will take a stand or is it on-board with the destruction of the State, asset by asset?

See this speech in context