Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

I do not wish to be frivolous, but much the same was said five years ago. If people have any worries about the deficit, they will see from the report of five years ago that it is by and large the same.

I am somewhat alarmed, as is the Minister, by the high rate of 40% which was referred to, together with the 2.6% from Irish nationals costing some €36.1 million. It is alarmingly high. The Minister, Deputy Cullen, is unavoidably absent this morning but he will be taking the motion in the Seanad. He is anxious to try to curb this as much as possible.

We will be a party to the negotiations on this proposal and will play an important role as we do in all aspects of European legislation, regulations and directives. This motion provides us with an opportunity to do that. I thank the House for its co-operation in this matter.

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