Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

We are faced with a situation where the Government intends to announce this afternoon what it describes as a major economic plan for the recovery of the economy, yet it will not be put before the representatives of the people in this Assembly. That is critically important. We have to remind the Government that in the first instance it is accountable to the Dáil and the people, of whom we are its representatives. In the crisis we are facing all Deputies have a collective responsibility to address the issues that need to be addressed, to seek together a formula to find a way out of the current recession, yet there is neither consultation nor accountability. Opposition voices will not even have the opportunity to respond to what will be proposed by the Government this afternoon because it will not be put on the floor of the House. That is a real problem. We had the example last evening, despite the fact that the Labour Party and Sinn Féin had made very constructive proposals to address two of the most glaring needs in Irish society — social housing and homelessness——

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