Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

I wish to share my time with the Minister of State, Deputy Billy Kelleher.

As we are all only too well aware, the events of the last few weeks in the international financial markets are without precedent in modern times. The prevailing economic and fiscal environment is more adverse than any we have faced for many years. As the Minister for Finance made clear yesterday, across all areas of public spending, we now need to consolidate the gains we have made in recent years in transforming the economic, social and environmental well-being of the country——

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