Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Bringing stability to our public finances is a huge, ongoing challenge. It is a misrepresentation of what the Tánaiste said to suggest that all our work is done either for this or future years. This is an ongoing situation which is evolving all the time. It will require continuing adjustment by Government to take whatever decisions are necessary to keep our public finances in a stable position going forward from a very difficult position.

Public finance spending, fiscal policy, bank capitalisation and maintaining monetary stability are interlinked objectives, all of which must be supported. While the Deputy would claim to be in support of a recapitalisation policy in the banking system, he could not find his way to supporting the recapitalisation programme which was brought to the House.

See this speech in context