Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

A famous American economist and political commentator who ended his career, among other things, as ambassador to India where he had a first-hand vision of what he talked about, famously described the United States in 1950s as the affluent society. He coined a phrase that aptly describes the Government's approach to this Republic. It is one of private affluence and public squalor.

In the by-elections which were fought and which the Government lost — if the Minister of State continues to make speeches like the one she made the Government will lose every by-election and the general election because she has not heard a word we said——

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