Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

A total of 50,000 people joined the dole queues this year, the first year of the Taoiseach's leadership and 100,000 more will join those dismal queues next year. The social welfare bill will rise by approximately €10,000 a month. Businesses the length and breadth of this country are fighting for survival and as the foreclosure figures this week proved many of them are not succeeding. Couples whose dream was to own their own home are now paying more for a home worth hundreds of thousands less than they paid for it and in many cases they were seduced into buying by a market controlled by profligate lending institutions. What did the Government do for these families and young people?

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