Margaret Conlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

We are in uncharted waters economically and the only way forward is to act together to take collective pain. Further disastrous Exchequer figures for January were released yesterday and they show tax receipts were €900 million down on January 2008.

The Opposition parties also have serious national responsibilities in this unprecedented time of crisis. The problems we face as a State are so acute that elected representatives of all parties have an onerous responsibility to contribute to getting us all on a level footing. We need to examine costs, look to the future with confidence and hope, have more positive thinking than negative spin and let the world know Ireland is open for business and investment.

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