John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

I, too, ask for a debate on consensus. I am confident there is consensus within Europe to the effect that we can deal with our difficulties. That consensus was expressed by Commissioner Michel Barnier last week and Commissioner Olli Rehn today in the belief that we can manage our finances and that there is a way forward and a clear path through the European model.

There is another consensus in certain parts of the Irish media, however, which have gone from biased to pure inquisition. There is no objectivity whatsoever in certain quarters of the Irish media. They want to do down this country at every hand's turn. Have they no confidence, pride or self-belief? We were in much worse difficulties in the past and faced much more difficult times in terms of our opportunities for export, the interest rates we had to pay on debt and the numbers that were unemployed. It is saddening to think that Ireland is the only country in Europe that has no objectivity in certain parts of the media.