Mary O'Rourke (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)

——but referring to whatever furore has arisen the week before, and hi-ho, they table their Private Members' motion. Hi-ho there they are, but we never hear about what will happen if and when — that is another big question — they get into government. Will all these fields of gold be unleashed on the land? Will everything they espouse from the Opposition benches be part of their manifesto? Methinks not. I noted an important point during the debate on the medical card issue or the education cuts, I am not sure which. Deputy Richard Bruton, Fine Gael's spokesman on finance, did not utter a word during the whole debate. That is because he is being kept in cold storage, wrapped in cotton wool in case he might have to eat his words in ten, 12, 14 or 18 years time, whenever they come into Government. It may be months, I do not know.

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