Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

I agree with the Minister there are difficult external conditions. However, does he suggest that Ireland's falling share in export markets does not have anything to do with what is happening here? Is he trying to say our falling competitiveness does not have to do with what has happened here? Is he trying to say the fact inflation in Ireland was running at almost twice what it was running at in the rest of Europe does not have to do with internal factors? Was the Government not responsible for the management of those factors? Was it not very foolish to increase public spending at twice the rate of growth of the economy? Was it not very foolish to rely on the revenue coming from the property bubble to support those spending figures?

See this speech in context