Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)

Deputy Howlin is detached from reality if he believes an unemployed person would not grab such a job in current economic circumstances. The shocking reality is that people are losing their jobs and the most vulnerable are not middle income public servants. The vulnerable are the unemployed who are struggling. Deputies Higgins and Howlin never referred to the fact that the people who are losing their jobs are the ones on which we must focus. If we do not get the public finances back in order and maintain our triple A credit rating, investors will not come to Ireland. In turn, the research and development export driven economy which the Labour Party advocates will not be developed.

There is much anger about the cuts in the overseas development aid budget, about which I have just come off the telephone with a constituent. The anger ignores the fact that all the money for the budget is borrowed. I accept it is badly needed in poor countries and that it is a matter of life and death. However, Ireland still spends more of its national wealth, up to 0.54% of gross domestic product with a 0.7% target, on overseas development than any other country, yet it is all borrowed money. For how long can we go on increasing the budget when we have serious problems at home?

Fianna Fáil has supported public servants during the years. While most of them are not happy about the substantial levy imposed, they have family members in the private sector who have either lost their jobs or taken larger pay cuts.

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