Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

To answer the Deputy on the general point, if agreement is reached, obviously a framework document will be published. Discussions are ongoing. I make the point that we set out a framework based on the principles by which we will seek to deal with the situation this country is facing. We will work together in the weeks and months ahead to make sure that we implement policies that meet the requirements of the situation we face. That is the way we did it before when we introduced the Programme for National Recovery and that is what we should do now. The details we can work out are those that can emerge in due course.

The important political statement to be made in this country at this time is that all stakeholders in this society will work together to try to bring about a resolution to our problems, based on principles we can all share and to which we can all subscribe, and act in a political way to try to drive confidence inside and outside the country. That is what we are trying to do. That is the first prerequisite.

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