Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)

All we could do was read between the lines. Six months ago, the Government led the country astray. Outright lies were told about the state of the economy. What would have happened if the economic growth rate for 2008 was only 1% or 2%?

Many great opportunities were lost. When the Dáil met in June, the Opposition implored the Government to tackle the stamp duty issue to give the housing market a chance. The Taoiseach said over his dead body would there be changes to the stamp duty regime as it was not what the building industry needed. The Minister of State knows what happened on the road to Damascus. Suddenly reforming stamp duty was the thing to do in the budget. Why was that conversion so dramatic? The Government had an eye to the tent in Galway. They are the lads who call the tune to which the Government dances.

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