Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I wish to take up one of the points made by Senator Byrne, the need to be careful on how we present outcomes. While it may have been the best possible outcome, given the circumstances and the competing objectives, if we feel there could have been a better outcome overall and in the subsets of the overall, we should say so, otherwise nobody will know that we are aiming for a further destination. I think that is the point Senator Byrne was making. If we say we are pleased with the outcome and remain silent on the fact that we were hoping for a much better one and fighting harder for a much better one, and what we have achieved is just about acceptable, and we accept it because we do not want the whole thing to collapse, I think we should express that we are all aiming for more.

Deputy Heather Humphreys has asked me if there is any confirmation of the amount of money being made available under the rural development programme. It has been said that we have secured additional funding. What is that amount? What is the amount for the PEACE programme?

When we are giving our views of what is happening and taking part in the debate on the appraisal of what is happening and what has happened, let us be robust and clear in our use of words, as we would be across the dinner table at home. It is helpful because it gets people better motivated and it helps the public to be engaged in what is going on. For instance, to the average person listening to the radio or reading about two pack and six pack in the newspaper, they do not have a clue what the terms mean. Could that term be explained in simple language each time it pops up, because it can be explained? Would anybody like to try to give an explanation now for the record?