John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)

I wish first to extend my sympathy to the Brennan family on the death of Séamus Brennan, a colleague with whom I worked in Fianna Fáil headquarters when I participated in the 1977 general election campaign. I learned a good deal from him at that time. I found him to be a very compassionate and decent man. He will be a great loss to his family and to the political system.

I listened carefully to the four Deputies who spoke before me. I listened even more carefully to Deputy Bruton, whom I have heard interviewed on many television programmes on the debate on the economy. I respect greatly what he has said. I served with him on the Committee on Finance and the Public Service. I have respect for his point of view and for the manner in which he puts it across. It is both constructive and informed. As much as I would learn from the Opposition, particularly from colleagues such as Deputy Bruton, I hope they will learn from the process in which we are now engaged and that we can share our views in a constructive way.

I could also raise many of the issues, raised by my four Labour Party colleagues, namely, specific personal issues with which one cannot argue because they touch one's emotions and one probably has experienced some of these issues in one's family. However, that must be put in context. First and foremost, I wish to advise those present and my colleagues in Cabinet, the junior Ministers and the backbenchers in government that it is hugely important that the Government ensures that those who are less well off, the marginalised and the elderly are looked after in terms of what is currently happening and the changes that are taking place in the economy. That must be uppermost in the minds of those who are doing the adjustments and in the minds of the staff, whether they be in the HSE, local government or the various Departments. That must be not only their priority, but there must be a set piece beyond which they cannot go.

To take up a comment on the English language made by one of my colleagues who has left the Chamber, I do not care what this process is called. I do not care whether it is called a U-turn, a cut, a recession or whether it is dressed up or dressed down. The fact is we are at this point and, regardless of what language one uses, this must be addressed. I take the view that what gets counted gets done. Therefore, we will start from that point.

If one faces a crisis in one's business, one would assess the business finances and the delivery of the service to the customers and make adjustments and the necessary cuts and decisions to ensure that business stays afloat and the customers are retained. What is different about that and what we are doing today? I suggest there is no difference. We are being prudent in setting aside provision for what must be done, namely the protection of the marginalised, the infirm and elderly.

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