Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

We need to be mindful that we need to try to maintain as many jobs as possible in present circumstances. Any rise in unemployment, of course, is a very unwelcome development. It is clear that the depth of this recession and the impact it is having worldwide in markets in which we need to trade means demand is less now than was the case in the past. That is having its effect in the real economy and we are seeing that on a daily and weekly basis. We need to address that from a competitiveness point of view.

The second point the Deputy raised related to our own particular responsibility for this matter. First, I take full responsibility for all decisions I have taken throughout my career as a Minister and as Taoiseach. I want to make that point very clear. Second, at the time much of the critique that was coming from that side of the House related to the failure by Government to invest even greater amounts of money into public services.

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